Dirty Work

Dirty Work profiles a number of occupations that society deems tainted. The volume's vivid, ethnographic reports focus on the communication that helps workers manage the moral, social, and physical "e;stains"e; that derive from engaging in such occupations. The creative ways that those who perform such dirty work learn to communicate with each other--and with outsiders--regulate the negative aspects of the work itself and emphasize the positives so that workers can maintain a sense of self-value even while performing devalued occupations.