The Role of Community in Shaping Authentic and Meaningful Work: A Study of Artists on the South­-Coast

<p dir="ltr">This thesis examines the significance of ‘meaningful work’ and the role of ‘place’ in the construction of authentic selfhood. It utilises interview based case‐studies of the subjective experiences of artists in a small coastal town, one hour south of Sydney. In‐depth interviews with seven participants produce a rich analysis into how these individuals craft identity and locate meaning through their work. The core theme explored is how this experience is crafted through place and community. This research contributes to the underdeveloped sociological discourse of ‘meaningful work’, in contrast to the long-­established discourse of ‘meaningless work’. ‘The city’ is framed in this thesis as a place constrained by the dominant neoliberal ideology; inherently problematic for doing meaningful work; with ‘communities’ outside of the city subsequently framed as an alternative to this, where there is greater potential to locate experiences of authentic, creative and meaningful work. Through empirical exploration, the thesis finds that the emotional experience of meaningful work is highly dependent on the construction of the authentic creative self in response to authentic place in community.</p>