Ocupacion

Occupation in the social sciences
Occupation has also been a concept of central concern to social scientist interested in understanding the nature of our contemporary world. One of the most significant early attempts to understand the role of occupations in society was outlined in what has become a classic sociological book, THE DIVISION OF LABOR IN SOCIETY. It was written by french sociologistEmile Durkheim, who is commonly regarded as one of the most important founding figures of the discipline of sociology. Durkheim made a distincion between traditional (preindustrial) societies and modern societies, and he based this distinction on the nature of the division of labor in society. In his view, earlier societies had a simple division of labor with a limited specialization offunctions. Modern societies with modern industrial production systems developed with a fine division of labor. It looked to many 19th century social observers that the old world that they had know was falling apart, and that a major amount of social conflict (revolutions, uprising, class warfare) was going to be a feature of industrial society. It was an essential part of Durkheim´s argument, however,that the finer and finer division of labor that was emerging in modern societies created greater and greater interdependence of human beings on one another. In earlier hunting and gathering societies, individuals (or family groups) were relatively self-sufficient. In contemporary societies, qhere tasks are highly specialized, individuals and even families are very far from being self-sufficientand instead depend on the work of others on a day-to-day basis. It was Durkeheim´s view that a complex division of labor creates peace because competitions between organisms of the same type is reduced:

In the same city, different ocupations can co-exist without being obliged mutually to destroy one another, for they pursue different objects. The soldiers seeks military glory, the priest moralauthority, the statesman power, the businessman riches, the scholar scientific renown.

If we consider what is meant by Durkheim´s use of the term occupation, we can see that it is somewhat different drom the way in wich occupational therapists use the term. Durkheim is using teh term to refer to what the Chambers 20th Centruy Dictionary terms "one´s habitual employment, profession, graf ortrade". Virtually all nof the exmaples of occupations that he uses are based on what would now be called the formal economy. They refer to situacions of paid employment. Presumably the concept still can be considered to contain notions of goals-directed activities that where present in the occupational therapists definitions. Goals that might be fulfilled byengaging in occupations in the formaleconomy might include earning wages and benfits, interacting sociallu with other people, and making a contribution to society.
Just as we noted that occupational therapists introduce ideas that some occupations are valued more highly han others, Durkheim's analysis also introduces this aspect of occupation. Some occupations receive higher pay than others (profesional basketball players earn moremore than kindergarten teachers), some occupacions have more social status than others (university professors have more social status than dockworkers), and some occupations have better working conditions that others (secretaries have better working conditions that garbage collectors).

One of Durkheim´s primary concerns, and one that many other social scientists after him shared, was that one´soccupations should be based on one´s talents and capacities and that there should be no obstacles to someone undertaking and occupation for wich his or her talents and capacities are fitting. This would constitute injustice in Durkheim´s view and would become the basis for conflict in society.
Many other social scientists have picked up Durkheim´s themes the intricatedivision of labor that...