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Social Capital and Occupational Decision-Making Among Louisiana State University LSU Digital Commons LSU Doctoral Dissertations Graduate School 2003 Staying in or getting out: social capital and occupational decision-making among Louisiana's Croatian oyster harvesters Carl Marie Riden Louisiana State University and Agricultural and Mechanical College Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.lsu.edu/gradschool_dissertations Part of the Sociology Commons Recommended Citation Riden, Carl Marie, "Staying in or getting out: social capital and occupational decision-making among Louisiana's Croatian oyster harvesters" (2003). LSU Doctoral Dissertations. 2320. https://digitalcommons.lsu.edu/gradschool_dissertations/2320 This Dissertation is brought to you for free and open access by the Graduate School at LSU Digital Commons. It has been accepted for inclusion in LSU Doctoral Dissertations by an authorized graduate school editor of LSU Digital Commons. For more information, please [email protected]. STAYING IN OR GETTING OUT: SOCIAL CAPITAL AND OCCUPATIONAL DECISION-MAKING AMONG LOUISIANA=S CROATIAN OYSTER HARVESTERS A Dissertation Submitted to the Graduate Faculty of the Louisiana State University and Agricultural and Mechanical College in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in The Department of Sociology by Carl Marie Riden B.A. University of Alabama, 1992 M.S., Virginia Polytechnic and State University, 1995 May 2003 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS I would like to thank the members of my committee who supported me through the long and arduous process of completing this project. In particular, I would like to thank Dr. F. Andrew Deseran, who continued to believe in my research and me despite the passage of time, and Dr. Michael Grimes, who enthusiastically joined my committee and guided me to the successful completion of this dissertation. I would also like to acknowledge the individuals who participated in this study, their families, and the members of the Croatian-American community in Louisiana, all of whom encouraged my research and made me feel welcome in their homes and on their boats. Finally, I would like to express my heartfelt gratitude to my life-partner Randall Fish without whose support I would not have completed this endeavor. ii TABLE OF CONTENTS Acknowledgments........................................................................................................................... ii List of Tables ...................................................................................................................................v Abstract........................................................................................................................................ vii Introduction......................................................................................................................................1 Statement of the Problem.................................................................................................................3 Literature Review.............................................................................................................................6 Macro-structural Changes....................................................................................................6 The Impact of Culture..........................................................................................................7 Affective Elements...............................................................................................................7 Social Capital.......................................................................................................................8 Focus of the Research ....................................................................................................................18 Methods..........................................................................................................................................20 Logic and Rationale for Qualitative Research...................................................................20 Origins of the Study...........................................................................................................20 Setting ................................................................................................................................21 Sample Description and Selection .....................................................................................22 Sampling Method...............................................................................................................23 Data Collection Techniques...............................................................................................23 Managing and Recording Data ..........................................................................................27 Data Analysis.....................................................................................................................27 Background: A Brief History of Croatian Louisiana and The Oyster Industry .......................................................................................................................29 Findings..........................................................................................................................................32 Description of Participants.................................................................................................32 Personal Networks .............................................................................................................33 Entering the Oyster Business.............................................................................................49 Deciding to Stay In or Get Out ..........................................................................................69 The Next Generation..........................................................................................................79 Synthesis of Findings.........................................................................................................85 iii Discussion and Conclusions ..........................................................................................................92 Discussion..........................................................................................................................92 Conclusions........................................................................................................................94 Limitations .........................................................................................................................95 Suggestions for Further Research ......................................................................................96 Bibliography ..................................................................................................................................98 Appendix A: Consent Form.........................................................................................................105 Appendix B: Survey of Personal Networks.................................................................................106 Appendix C: Preliminary Questionnaire......................................................................................113 Appendix D: Check-Sheet for Semi-Structured Interviews.........................................................114 Vita...............................................................................................................................................117 iv LIST OF TABLES 1. Demographic Characteristics of Participants............................................................................34 2. Description Of Individual Participants .....................................................................................35 3. With Whom Do You Talk About Personal Worries? ...............................................................37 4.With Whom Do You Talk About Work Decisions?..................................................................38 5. From Whom Would You Or Could You Borrow A Large Sum of Money? ............................39 6. With Whom Do You Typically Engage In Social Activities?..................................................40 7. Name Five People You Consider To Be Your Friends.............................................................41 8. Who Could Care For Your Home If You Went Out Of Town? ...............................................42 9. Ethnicity Of Those With Whom Participants Typically Engage In Social Activities.............43 10. Friends= Croatian Ethnicity ......................................................................................................44 11. Ethnicity Of Those With Whom Participants Talk About Personal Worries ..........................45 12. Ethnicity Of Those With Whom Participants Talk About Work Decisions............................46 13. Ethnicity Of Those From Whom Participants Could Borrow Money .....................................47 14. Ethnicity Of Those Who Could Care For Participants= Homes ...............................................48 15. Location Of Friends .................................................................................................................50 16. Location Of Those With Whom Participants Engage in Social Activities..............................51 17. Location Of Those With Whom Participants Talk About Personal Worries...........................52 18. Location Of Those With Whom Participants Talk About Work Decisions ............................53 19. Location
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