COPING WITH BULK UNOBLIGATED TIME - THE CASE OF UNEMPLOYMENT

The paper is about coping with and adapting to enforced unobligated ti me by people who are unemployed in late career. Qualitative data were derived through group discussions with older unemployed people, and a three-stage longitudinal study with ten unemployed persons who were in terviewed in-depth over the period of one year. It was found that enfo rced unobligated time generated by unemployment was not compatible wit h leisure time. Jobless people filled time in various ways - being bor ed, keeping busy, being useful, spending time with family, in diversio nary activities, and being absorbed in activities that sustained inter est. Reduced income adversely affected participation in customary acti vities. People minimally affected but with good participation skills c oped constructively with unobligated time. Those severely affected cop ed disruptively despite having good pre-existing skills. It is suggest ed that external supports be made available for people unable to use t heir personal resources to ameliorate the deprivations of unemployment . It is also suggested that the integration of the two major, but cons trasting employment theories would provide a more powerful theoretical base for the better understanding of the phenomenon of unemployment.