Being Just A Bartender: An investigation into the lived experiences of city centre bar staff.

Abstract

The topic of barstaff is one in which there is little sociological literature (Tutenges, 2013). The qualitative research described in this study adopts a symbolic interactionist perspective, and a naturalistic methodological approach to eight participants which were split up into two different focus groups. Thematic analysis is used to discuss the different events, interactions and pressures that working in a bar subjects them to. Dramaturgy (Goffman, 1959) and emotional labour (Hochschild, 1985) are relevant in explaining the interactions between the bartender and the customer as it is through these interactions the bartender is able to refine certain stereotypes and meet social expectations.