The meaning of work and the challenge of social positioning in Chile

Abstract

The aim of this study is to explore the relationship between work experience and social positioning, that is, the individual task that individuals face when they are asked to place themselves in the social structure. To explore this issue, 47 participants from different social strata were interviewed in the Chilean cities of Santiago and Valparaiso. Three different meanings associated with work were found in the study. The first understands work as a strategic resource, which allows individuals to improve their social position. The second states that work is a means to construct an original life project, and rejects values such as competitiveness and ambition. The third narrative conceptualises work as a means to satisfy basic needs, but at the same time does not visualizes it as a mechanism to reach a better position in the social structure.