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Playa och Prekaritet - En kvalitativ studie om europeiska callcenterarbetare i Barcelona

Thunberg, Lisa LU (2017) SOCK04 20171
Department of Sociology
Sociology
Abstract
The aim of this study is from a sociological perspective understand how it is to live in Barcelona while working in an international call centre as a young European citizen. What motivates these individuals to migrate to Barcelona? What is their perspective of work, social community and notion of belonging? These questions are later to be examined together with theories of migration, modernization and identity. Through qualitative, semi structured interviews, these questions were further analysed. The result of the study showed that a better lifestyle was one of the main reason for migrating, and the call centre job was a way to pay the bills for their adventures. The interview subjects expressed a concern for working conditions and salary... (More)
The aim of this study is from a sociological perspective understand how it is to live in Barcelona while working in an international call centre as a young European citizen. What motivates these individuals to migrate to Barcelona? What is their perspective of work, social community and notion of belonging? These questions are later to be examined together with theories of migration, modernization and identity. Through qualitative, semi structured interviews, these questions were further analysed. The result of the study showed that a better lifestyle was one of the main reason for migrating, and the call centre job was a way to pay the bills for their adventures. The interview subjects expressed a concern for working conditions and salary in Barcelona, but they appreciated that it was easy to get a job in the first place. Although the decision to move could be spontaneous, their social network and free movement in the EU where amongst helpful factors. They also experienced that their situation before moving to Barcelona was in certain ways not ideal, with issues such as lack of full time occupation or boredom. Belonging and nationality were important for expressing identity, as well as full flexibility and freedom of moving from one place to another. Through the international environment at work they connected with people from all over the continent. These communities where described as diverse and inclusive. The main language was English, something that may have been an obstacle to learn Spanish. This was something they experienced as essential in order to better integrate in the Spanish and Catalan society. (Less)
Abstract (Swedish)
Syftet med denna studie är att ur ett sociologiskt perspektiv undersöka hur det är att bo i Barcelona och arbeta i ett internationellt callcenter som ung europeisk medborgare. Vad är det som motiverar individer att migrera och arbeta i Barcelona? Hur upplever de förutsättningar i arbetet, social gemenskap och hur uppfattar de sin tillhörighet? Dessa frågeställningar sätts sedan i en bredare kontext med hjälp av teorier om migration, globalisering och identitet. Genom kvalitativa, semistrukturerade intervjuer analyserades sedan dessa frågeställningar. Studiens resultat visade att möjligheter till en bättre livsstil var en av huvudanledningarna till migration och att arbetet var ett medel för att kunna betala räkningarna för äventyret.... (More)
Syftet med denna studie är att ur ett sociologiskt perspektiv undersöka hur det är att bo i Barcelona och arbeta i ett internationellt callcenter som ung europeisk medborgare. Vad är det som motiverar individer att migrera och arbeta i Barcelona? Hur upplever de förutsättningar i arbetet, social gemenskap och hur uppfattar de sin tillhörighet? Dessa frågeställningar sätts sedan i en bredare kontext med hjälp av teorier om migration, globalisering och identitet. Genom kvalitativa, semistrukturerade intervjuer analyserades sedan dessa frågeställningar. Studiens resultat visade att möjligheter till en bättre livsstil var en av huvudanledningarna till migration och att arbetet var ett medel för att kunna betala räkningarna för äventyret. Intervjusubjekten var dock bekymrade över löner och rättigheter i samband med callcenterarbetet, men de uppskattade hur enkelt det var att få ett jobb. Beslutet att flytta till Barcelona kunde i flera fall vara spontant, men det underlättades bland annat tack vare deras sociala nätverk och fri rörlighet inom EU. Intervjusubjekten ansåg också att situationen innan de flyttade på många sätt inte heller var helt förmånlig, med brister på heltidssysselsättning eller att de helt enkelt led av tristress. Tillhörighet och nationalitet var betydelsefullt för dessa individer i skapandet av identitet, likt full flexibilitet och frihet att flytta från ett ställe till ett annat. Tack vare den internationella arbetsmiljön umgicks de med individer från hela kontinenten. Denna gemenskap beskrevs som mångfaldig och öppen. Huvudspråket var engelska, någonting som kunde utgöra ett hinder för att lära sig det spanska språket. Detta var någonting som de upplevde var viktigt för bättre integrationsmöjligheter i det spanska samhället. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
Thunberg, Lisa LU
supervisor
organization
alternative title
Playa and Precarity – A qualitative study of European call centre workers in Barcelona
course
SOCK04 20171
year
type
M2 - Bachelor Degree
subject
keywords
identitet, globalisering, migration, tillhörighet, prekaritet, EU, expat, identity, globalisation, belonging, precarity
language
Swedish
id
8929035
date added to LUP
2017-12-06 11:53:57
date last changed
2017-12-06 11:53:57
@misc{8929035,
  abstract     = {{The aim of this study is from a sociological perspective understand how it is to live in Barcelona while working in an international call centre as a young European citizen. What motivates these individuals to migrate to Barcelona? What is their perspective of work, social community and notion of belonging? These questions are later to be examined together with theories of migration, modernization and identity. Through qualitative, semi structured interviews, these questions were further analysed. The result of the study showed that a better lifestyle was one of the main reason for migrating, and the call centre job was a way to pay the bills for their adventures. The interview subjects expressed a concern for working conditions and salary in Barcelona, but they appreciated that it was easy to get a job in the first place. Although the decision to move could be spontaneous, their social network and free movement in the EU where amongst helpful factors. They also experienced that their situation before moving to Barcelona was in certain ways not ideal, with issues such as lack of full time occupation or boredom. Belonging and nationality were important for expressing identity, as well as full flexibility and freedom of moving from one place to another. Through the international environment at work they connected with people from all over the continent. These communities where described as diverse and inclusive. The main language was English, something that may have been an obstacle to learn Spanish. This was something they experienced as essential in order to better integrate in the Spanish and Catalan society.}},
  author       = {{Thunberg, Lisa}},
  language     = {{swe}},
  note         = {{Student Paper}},
  title        = {{Playa och Prekaritet - En kvalitativ studie om europeiska callcenterarbetare i Barcelona}},
  year         = {{2017}},
}