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STUDENT VIEWS ON DOWNSHIFTER LIFESTYLE IN URBAN ENVIRONMENTS
Corresponding Author(s) : Svetlana M. Nizamutdinova
Humanities & Social Sciences Reviews,
Vol. 7 No. 4 (2019): July
Abstract
Purpose of the study: The relevance of the article is due to the rethinking of employment by students and the emergence of new forms of income, due to the emergence of Internet resources. Today, more and more people are revising their work schedules, switching to freelancing or so-called free employment, reducing working hours. In this regard, this article is aimed at studying students' ideas about the lifestyle of downshifters in an urban environment.
Methodology: As a research methodology, a qualitative approach was applied using ethnographic strategies to dive into the world of everyday practices of informants and better understand how their daily lives are structured, which is especially important when studying ideas about lifestyle. A detailed description of the ideas about individual everyday practices allows us to identify the type in a social phenomenon. Method of information gathering - in-depth interview, which allows determining the main motives and beliefs of informants.
Results: The article revealed that in the view of the majority of students, downshifters are satisfied with their lifestyle; travel a lot; have a low civil position, mainly carry out their household activities in solitude and are not married. It is shown that work for downshifters, in the view of students, should be enjoyable, and if this is not possible for any reason, it is fair for them to do work that does not lead to emotional and physical exhaustion. In the students' views, five groups of downshifters were identified: those who left well paid but stressful work; having the ability to work remotely; devoting more time to personal development; peaked careers and decided to change the profile of activity; transformed their hobby into a profession.
Applications of this study: The data obtained in the work can be used in the field of labor and employment of young people, social psychology, the psychology of education, age psychology, sociology, as well as for further theoretical development of this issue.
Novelty/Originality of this study: Because the phenomenon of downshifting is not sufficiently studied, and the concept has no clear definition, many people in the society can call themselves downshifters who are not really downshifters indeed, and Vice versa, many people do not realize themselves downshifters, being downshifters in fact. This seems to be a certain problem for studying this social group.
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- Alisov, E., and Cherdymova, E. (2018) and other Study of Dominant Type of Student Ecological Focus. Ekoloji, 27(106): 357-362.
- Ardakani, M. P., Lashkarian, A., & Sadeghzadeh, M. (2015). Words Without End: Translatability VS Untranslatability in TS Eliot’S Poem “Ash Wednesdayâ€. UCT Journal of Social Sciences and Humanities Research, 3(1), 40-51.
- Bicer, A., Perihan, C., & Lee, Y. (2018). The Impact of Writing Practices on Students’ Mathematical Attainment. International Electronic Journal of Mathematics Education, 13(3), 305-313. https://doi.org/10.12973/iejme/3922 DOI: https://doi.org/10.12973/iejme/3922
- Bolshakova, O.A. (2004). Modern priorities in the daily life of students: University studies and paid work. Values of daily activities of citizens. Moscow: Institute of sociology RAS.
- Cherdymova, E.I., Faleeva, L.V., Ilkevich, T.G, and Sharonov, I.A. (2019). Socio-Psychological Factors that Contribute to and Impede the Process of Student Eco-Vocational Consciousness Formation. Ekoloji, 28(107): 133-140.
- Cherdymova, E.I., Ukolova, L.I., Gribkova, O.V., Kabkova, E.P., Tararina, L.I., Kurbanov, R.A., Belyalova, A.M., and Kudrinskaya, I.V. (2018). Projective Techniquesfor Student Environmental Attitudes Study. Ekoloji, 27(106): 541-546.
- Giddens, E. (2003). social Order: an essay on the theory of structuration. Moscow, publishing house of the Academic project, 192 p.
- Merton, R. (2006). Social theory and social structure. Moscow: Rech.
- Merzlyakova, V. (2008). Alternative models of success in modern culture: downshifting. Bulletin of public opinion, 4: 20 - 24.
- Ovechkina, Ya.V. (2013). Downshifting as a manifestation of social retreatism. Socio-economic phenomena and processes, 8: 23-28.
- Popov, M.A. (2010). Conditions for the development of supply chains as a new form of economic relations of business structures. Problems of modern economy, 3: 32-38.
- Solodnikova, I.V., and Ermakova, S.N. (2013). Downshifting in Russian. Man, 1: 4 – 8.
- Taubaye, Z., Rivers, W., Mussabekova, U., & Alimbayeva, A. (2018). Peculiarities and problems of eponyms (on the material of Kazakhstani periodicals). Opción, 34(85-2), 221-236.
- Vozmitel, A.A., and Osadchaya, G.I. (2009). Lifestyle: theoretical and methodological bases of the analysis. Sociological research, 8: 8 – 12.
- Yakovleva, A.A. (2011). Retreatism in the consumer society. St. Petersburg sociology today: Collection of scientific works of the Sociological Institute of RAS. St. Petersburg: Nestor-History.
- Aschbacher, P. R., Li, E., & Roth, E. J. (2010). Is science me? High school students' identities, participation and aspirations in science, engineering, and medicine. Journal of Research in Science Teaching: The Official Journal of the National Association for Research in Science Teaching, 47(5), 564-582.
- Armon, J., & Armon, C. (2015). Cultivating intimacy with the natural world: College students’ care, connection, and regeneration in an agriculture-focused humanities course. Journal of Sustainability Education, 9.
- Miller, T. (2017). Creating Blue Zones: Global Perspectives in School Health and Physical Education. Missouri Journal of Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance, 5.
- Liu, W. M. (2002). The social class-related experiences of men: Integrating theory and practice. Professional Psychology: Research and Practice, 33(4), 355. https://doi.org/10.1037/0735-7028.33.4.355 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1037/0735-7028.33.4.355
- Huggins-Cooper, L. (2007). Downshift to the good life: 52 brilliant ideas to scale it down and live it up. Infinite Ideas.
- Demetry, D., Thurk, J., & Fine, G. A. (2015). Strategic poverty: How social and cultural capital shapes low-income life. Journal of Consumer Culture, 15(1), 86-109. https://doi.org/10.1177/1469540513493205 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/1469540513493205
- Kala, L., GalÄanová, L., & Pelikán, V. (2016). Residential preferences in the context of voluntary simple lifestyles: What motivates contemporary Czech simplifiers to reside in the countryside?. Human Affairs, 26(4), 410-421. https://doi.org/10.1515/humaff-2016-0035 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1515/humaff-2016-0035
References
Alisov, E., and Cherdymova, E. (2018) and other Study of Dominant Type of Student Ecological Focus. Ekoloji, 27(106): 357-362.
Ardakani, M. P., Lashkarian, A., & Sadeghzadeh, M. (2015). Words Without End: Translatability VS Untranslatability in TS Eliot’S Poem “Ash Wednesdayâ€. UCT Journal of Social Sciences and Humanities Research, 3(1), 40-51.
Bicer, A., Perihan, C., & Lee, Y. (2018). The Impact of Writing Practices on Students’ Mathematical Attainment. International Electronic Journal of Mathematics Education, 13(3), 305-313. https://doi.org/10.12973/iejme/3922 DOI: https://doi.org/10.12973/iejme/3922
Bolshakova, O.A. (2004). Modern priorities in the daily life of students: University studies and paid work. Values of daily activities of citizens. Moscow: Institute of sociology RAS.
Cherdymova, E.I., Faleeva, L.V., Ilkevich, T.G, and Sharonov, I.A. (2019). Socio-Psychological Factors that Contribute to and Impede the Process of Student Eco-Vocational Consciousness Formation. Ekoloji, 28(107): 133-140.
Cherdymova, E.I., Ukolova, L.I., Gribkova, O.V., Kabkova, E.P., Tararina, L.I., Kurbanov, R.A., Belyalova, A.M., and Kudrinskaya, I.V. (2018). Projective Techniquesfor Student Environmental Attitudes Study. Ekoloji, 27(106): 541-546.
Giddens, E. (2003). social Order: an essay on the theory of structuration. Moscow, publishing house of the Academic project, 192 p.
Merton, R. (2006). Social theory and social structure. Moscow: Rech.
Merzlyakova, V. (2008). Alternative models of success in modern culture: downshifting. Bulletin of public opinion, 4: 20 - 24.
Ovechkina, Ya.V. (2013). Downshifting as a manifestation of social retreatism. Socio-economic phenomena and processes, 8: 23-28.
Popov, M.A. (2010). Conditions for the development of supply chains as a new form of economic relations of business structures. Problems of modern economy, 3: 32-38.
Solodnikova, I.V., and Ermakova, S.N. (2013). Downshifting in Russian. Man, 1: 4 – 8.
Taubaye, Z., Rivers, W., Mussabekova, U., & Alimbayeva, A. (2018). Peculiarities and problems of eponyms (on the material of Kazakhstani periodicals). Opción, 34(85-2), 221-236.
Vozmitel, A.A., and Osadchaya, G.I. (2009). Lifestyle: theoretical and methodological bases of the analysis. Sociological research, 8: 8 – 12.
Yakovleva, A.A. (2011). Retreatism in the consumer society. St. Petersburg sociology today: Collection of scientific works of the Sociological Institute of RAS. St. Petersburg: Nestor-History.
Aschbacher, P. R., Li, E., & Roth, E. J. (2010). Is science me? High school students' identities, participation and aspirations in science, engineering, and medicine. Journal of Research in Science Teaching: The Official Journal of the National Association for Research in Science Teaching, 47(5), 564-582.
Armon, J., & Armon, C. (2015). Cultivating intimacy with the natural world: College students’ care, connection, and regeneration in an agriculture-focused humanities course. Journal of Sustainability Education, 9.
Miller, T. (2017). Creating Blue Zones: Global Perspectives in School Health and Physical Education. Missouri Journal of Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance, 5.
Liu, W. M. (2002). The social class-related experiences of men: Integrating theory and practice. Professional Psychology: Research and Practice, 33(4), 355. https://doi.org/10.1037/0735-7028.33.4.355 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1037/0735-7028.33.4.355
Huggins-Cooper, L. (2007). Downshift to the good life: 52 brilliant ideas to scale it down and live it up. Infinite Ideas.
Demetry, D., Thurk, J., & Fine, G. A. (2015). Strategic poverty: How social and cultural capital shapes low-income life. Journal of Consumer Culture, 15(1), 86-109. https://doi.org/10.1177/1469540513493205 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/1469540513493205
Kala, L., GalÄanová, L., & Pelikán, V. (2016). Residential preferences in the context of voluntary simple lifestyles: What motivates contemporary Czech simplifiers to reside in the countryside?. Human Affairs, 26(4), 410-421. https://doi.org/10.1515/humaff-2016-0035 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1515/humaff-2016-0035