THE PERCEPTION OF EVERYDAY LIFE ON LAND AND AT SEA: THE CONCEPT OF FREE TIME AMONG SAILORS

Abstract

I consider the issue of the relationship between sailing and the organization of free time a relevant anthropological topic considering that people are directly involved with the process of producing leisure which, in turn, is directly linked to work and productive activities of the individual. Starting from the basic assumption that time spent at sea (on a ship) and time spent on land is differently structured, the emphasis will be on free time, or rather the budget of free time sailors spend when they are at home and when they are at sea. In the context of analyzing everyday life, sailing is important as it represents a kind of labor which is determined by the extraordinary conditions which command a different way of structuring (free) time. In keeping with that, the paper will examine the relationship between time and space as categories which figure as the references for analyzing this occupation, which, if we consider its specificities, represents a key element for understanding the everyday life and defining personal free time of sailors.