Identity enactment as collective accomplishment:Religious identity enactment at home and at a festival

The authors wish to acknowledge the financial support of the ESRC (Grant # RES-062-23-1449).Much research addresses the proposition that identifying with a group shapes individuals’ behaviour. Typically, such research employs experimental or survey methods, measuring or manipulating social identification and relating this to various outcome variables. Although shedding much light on the processes involved in the identity–behaviour relationship, such research tends to overlook the various constraints that limit individuals’ abilities to act in accordance with their identities. Using interview data gathered in north India, we explore the factors affecting the enactment of a religious identity. More specifically, using data gathered at a religious mass gathering, we compare and contrast participants’ reports of identity enactment when they are at the event and when they are in their home villages. These two contexts differ in terms of their social organization, especially the degree to which they are marked by the presence of a shared identity. Exploring participants’ accounts of such differences in social organization, we consider the social processes that constrain or facilitate identity enactment. In so doing, our analysis contributes to a richer analysis of the identity–behaviour relationship.Publisher PDFPeer reviewe

Once a week is not enough: evaluating current measures of teamworking in stroke

RATIONALE, AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: Stroke care has been at the forefront of the drive to deliver health care by teamworking in the UK. Teamworking is the subject of ongoing audit of stroke provision with measures such as a weekly team meeting being used to evaluate services. A qualitative study was recently undertaken to explore these evaluations and to gain further understanding of the processes underlying teamworking practice. METHODS: Three case study sites across the stroke care pathway were investigated using data collection methods of fieldwork observation, interviews and visual imagery. The data were coded and analysed in an inductive process in parallel to the data gathering. RESULTS: It was found that teamworking practice was affected by organizational conditions, such as location of staff, time constraints, management structures and team contact. Other important aspects of teamworking related to the formation of subteams, decision-making processes, leadership, identification of goals, and training in teamworking. CONCLUSIONS: It is suggested that additional measures of team functioning are required. This paper highlights the importance of the organizational background with the need to consider team size, accountability and changing group membership. It discusses the decision-making systems and the need to more fully consider the role and purpose of team meetings

Professional differences in interprofessional working

UK government policy is encouraging healthcare staff to blur traditional roles, in the drive to increase joint working between practitioners. However, there is currently a lack of clarity regarding the impact that changes to traditional working practice might have on staff delivering the services, or on patient care. In this article, we report findings from three qualitative case studies examining interprofessional practice in stroke care, in which the influence of professional differences emerged as a significant theme. We draw on findings from individual semi-structured interviews, as well as fieldwork observations, to describe the influence of professional knowledge and skills, role and identity, and power and status considerations in interprofessional working. The insights that were gained contribute to the understanding of how professional differences impact on healthcare staff joint working, and suggest that the elements identified need to be fully considered in drives towards changed working practice