STRESS AND COPING DISCOURSE

Abstract

Explanation of sickness, injury and absence at work frequently turns on “stress” and the individual's ability to “cope” with stress. A critique of the underlying ideology and science of stress and coping discourse (SCD) is presented. An alternative sociological model is put forward in which sickness is reconceptualised as an element in social relations. An intensive study of a medium‐sized pottery firm over two and a half years is presented to support this theory. Three experiments involving women working on the line in the North Staffordshire pottery industry are reported. The findings support the argument that control of time is strongly related to absence and lateness.