“You Still Gotta Drill": Work Identities and Louisiana Fishers’ Responses to the BP Oil Spill

• In Event: 2451 - Section on Organizations, Occupations, and Work Refereed Roundtables (1 hour)
  In Refereed Roundtable 60min: Table 9. Information Diffusion

Abstract

Research on the Deepwater Horizon oil spill has documented both short-term and longer-term effects of the spill and chemical agents on physical, mental and environmental health, but less is known about how individuals living in and around affected areas understand the oil spill disaster. Using a case study of Louisiana shrimp fishers, I show how interpretations of experiences related to the BP oil spill are fundamentally grounded in the meanings they attach to the work of both fishing and oil. Findings indicate that even though fishers blame BP for their ongoing health and environmental problems related to the spill, they generally view BP as favorable and hold optimistic views regarding their abilities to continue to fish in grounds where they find evidence of the oil spill. While these perceptions and actions appear incompatible or irrational, by accounting for meanings attached to work in the community, these outcomes make better sense. This project thus interrogates the relationship between work, culture, and economics in the aftermath of disaster, and further contributes to understanding the socially constructed nature of disaster perceptions and responses.

Author

• Jill Ann Harrison, University of Oregon