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Introduction to Occupation: The Art and Science of Living
Charles Christiansen, Ed.D., OTR, University of Texas Medical Branch
Elizabeth Townsend, Ph.D., Dalhousie University

ISBN-10: 0130133035
ISBN-13: 9780130133038

Publisher: Prentice Hall
Copyright: 2004
Format: Paper; 320 pp
Published: 02/06/2003

Suggested retail price: $55.40
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For courses in Occupational Science, Sociology of Work, Social Anthropology, and Occupational Psychology.

Broad in perspective, this text challenges students to look beyond occupation as just “work” to include all the ways in which we occupy ourselves—showing how what we do forms our lifestyle, and how occupations are enfolded to create a balanced or unbalanced style of life. Practical as well as conceptual, it explores both informal and formal ways for studying occupation, provides a model and framework for studying occupational development across the lifespan, and considers issues and insights surrounding such topics as occupation and identity, occupation and place, occupation and groups and communities, occupation deprivation and disruption, and occupation and justice.

  • The study of occupation
    • —Explores a variety of informal ways to learn about occupation through observation, story telling, analyzing what people say or the things they have around them, or analyzing how people live everyday life. Briefly surveys the formal range of research methods for studying occupation—including positivist/empirical ways of studying occupation, interpretive/narrative/
    • phenomenological ways of studying experiences of occupation, and critical social science.

    • Shows students how to gather information to create an anthropology and archeology of daily life, or an occupational profile.

  • Definition of occupation—Highlights what is known about occupation as it is generally understood (i.e., work), and reviews current interests in occupation in social sciences and in government and industry.

    • Challenges students to consider a broader view of occupation with awareness of the issues and consequences on governance, quality of life, and even justice, of broadening and narrowing our views of occupation.

  • What Do People Do?—Describes all the ways in which we occupy ourselves, showing how what we do forms our lifestyle, and how occupations are enfolded to create a balanced or unbalanced style of life. Relates occupation to time through reference to time use, routines, rhythms, rituals, circadian rhythms, etc., and highlights ways in which one can measure or understand occupation in relation to time.

    • Broadens students' thinking about occupation beyond work.

  • Occupational Development—Presents a framework and ages/stages model for occupational development across the lifespan, weaving together theories of occupation with theories of human development.

    • Shows students how people develop as occupational beings across each stage of the lifespan, and compares the performationist, maturationist, environmentalist, and interactionist viewpoints of human development from an occupational perspective.

  • Occupation and Identity.

    • Shows students how identity is shaped through occupation, and the choices they make in their everyday people activities.

  • Occupation in Groups and Communities—Highlights the social nature of occupation—the shared rules and agreements which shape occupations; the hierarchies which determine who does what occupations, and which create a social order for occupations, and which define social behaviors in groups and communities.

    • Encourages students to contemplate what makes healthy “ideal” occupational communities, the pitfalls which make communities dysfunctional, and ways of developing healthy communities through occupation.

  • Occupations in places.

    • Prompts students to consider how places shape occupation, and how occupation shapes places.

  • Participation in occupation—Highlights impacts and challenges on individuals and communities of participation in occupations.

    • Shows students how occupations enable people to meet the requirements for living through achieving individual and group goals, while considering the various issues related to the opportunities, challenges, and consequences resulting from participation in daily occupations.

  • Occupational deprivation and disruption.

    • Shows students the consequences of lack of participation in occupation and/or disruption.

  • Occupational justice—Considers social responsibilities associated with occupation.

    • Challenges students to consider the possibilities and limits of recognizing occupation as a central feature of human existence, and a necessary component of well-being.



Introduction and Foreword by Dr. John Robinson.


Preface.


1. Introduction to Occupation.


2. The Study of Occupation.


3. What Is Occupation? Interdisciplinary Perspectives on Defining and Classifying Human Activity.


4. What Do People Do?


5. Occupational Development.


6. Occupation and Identity: Becoming Who We Are Through What We Do.


7. The Occupational Nature of Communities.


8. Occupations and Places.


9. Occupations as Means for Individual and Group Participation in Life.


10. When People Can't Participate: Occupational Deprivation.


11. Occupational Justice.


Glossary of Terms.


Index.

Human occupation is nothing less than the way we describe the experiences that account for our pathway through life - the activities that fill up each day. Its study leads to a greater understanding of how people view, orchestrate, draw meaning from, and improve their lives, as well as the satisfaction that they draw from life. Broad in perspective, Introduction to Occupation: The Art and Science of Living brings together an outstanding team of authors to explore both informal and formal ways for studying occupation.

    Features:
  • Discusses numerous ways to learn about occupation through observation.
  • Details formal and informal ranges of research methods.
  • Presents a framework for occupation across the lifespan.
  • Highlights how identity is shaped by occupation.
  • Outlines social responsibilities that result from occupations.
  • Companion Website - www.prenhall.com/christiansen - provides interactive self-assessment with instant feedback.

View a Sample Chapter PDF:

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