The Life World of a Helping Profession in the Pandemic: Rethinking of Symbolic Boundaries

Occupation: Head of International Laboratory of Social Integration Research
Affiliation: National Research University Higher School of Economics
Address: Moscow, Russia

Valentina N. Yarskaya-Smirnova

Occupation: Рrof.
Affiliation: Yuri Gagarin State Technical University of Saratov
Address: Saratov, Russia

Journal name

Sotsiologicheskie issledovaniya

Edition

Issue 11

Pages

112-122

Abstract

The article presents the results of a qualitative study of symbolic boundaries in social work during the COVID-19 pandemic revealed and interpreted in the narrative interviews with practitioners and service users in three Russian cities. The authors consider features of symbolic boundaries in relationships developing in the everyday life of social work under the influence of the pandemic challenges, when contradictions in everyday practice become more complicated, while risks and vulnerability of communication with the clients increase. It is demonstrated that the construction of symbolic boundaries becomes a practical task that social service workers solve in their work routine. The life world of social workers is considered in the triangle of views, experience, and environmental conditions. Social workers’ responses to the main challenges during the pandemic are considered: the growing barriers in contact and remote work; inconsistency of organizational innovations; new risks in the face of growing needs and vulnerability of clients; burnout risks, emotion and stress management. It is shown that changes in symbolic boundaries, leading to a violation of professional identity integrity, require special efforts in boundary work. According to the results of the interview analysis, several types of boundary work are identified: crystallization, closure, suffering, compromise, violation, creativity.

Keywords

symbolic borders, helping profession, pandemic, social work, boundary work, social reality, everyday life, life world, interviews, service users

Acknowledgment

The research was supported by the Russian Science Foundation, project No. 18-18-00321.

Received

19.12.2022

Publication date

20.12.2022

Number of characters

29573

Cite

GOST	Yarskaya-Smirnova E., Yarskaya-Smirnova V. The Life World of a Helping Profession in the Pandemic: Rethinking of Symbolic Boundaries // Sotsiologicheskie issledovaniya – 2022. – Issue 11 C. 112-122 [Electronic resource]. URL: http://ras.jes.su/socis/s013216250021064-3-1-en (circulation date: 21.03.2025). DOI: 10.31857/S013216250021064-3
MLA	Yarskaya-Smirnova, Elena R, Yarskaya-Smirnova, Valentina N "The Life World of a Helping Profession in the Pandemic: Rethinking of Symbolic Boundaries." Sotsiologicheskie issledovaniya 11 (2022):112-122. DOI: 10.31857/S013216250021064-3
APA	Yarskaya-Smirnova E., Yarskaya-Smirnova V. (2022). The Life World of a Helping Profession in the Pandemic: Rethinking of Symbolic Boundaries. Sotsiologicheskie issledovaniya (11), pp.112-122 DOI: 10.31857/S013216250021064-3

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