Boundary Labor and the Production of Emotionless Commodities: The Case of Beef Production. Issue 1 (2nd December 2013)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Ellis, Colter
• Is Part Of: Sociological quarterly. Volume 55:Issue 1(2014)
• Page Start: 92
• Page End: 118
• Publication Date: 2013-12-02
• Subjects: Sociology -- Periodicals; 301.05
• DOI: 10.1111/tsq.12047
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0038-0253

Abstract

<abstract abstract-type="main"> <title> <x xml:space="preserve">Abstract</x> </title> <p>This study examines cattle producers' work in conventional U.S. beef production. Producers express emotional connection to cattle, but also treat cattle as economic assets. Balancing these perspectives is central to their work. This article introduces the concept of "boundary labor" to describe the way producers' emotion management separates cattle physically and emotionally from products derived from their bodies. Producers have three central emotional skills that make this labor possible. They include (1) a sense of <italic>responsibility</italic>, (2) sentiments of <italic>dominion</italic>, and (3) faith in <italic>the cycle</italic> of production.</p> </abstract>