The Discourse on the Unemployment of People over 45 Years Old in Times of Crisis. A Study of Spanish Blogs

Journal of Social Research & Policy, Volume: 7, Issue: 2, pp. 63-78

Date: December 2016

ISSN: 2067-2640 (print), 2068-9861 (electronic)

Abstract: Unemployed people over 45 years old are an especially vulnerable group. The support, employment and training measures designed for them are insufficient, which has produced a problematic social situation that has been silenced by the traditional media. Nonetheless, blogs offer new means of expression with alternative discourses that show the harshness of this reality. To understand this situation, Spanish training and employment blogs that address this topic have been selected and analyzed. The sample corresponds to the set of blogs that, in the opinion of a team of experts, have been rated as the most significant and relevant. They used a Delphi technique to select them, and all of the material was studied by means of discourse analysis.

The study critically examines the different types of discourse on the topic. Diverse personal typologies have been found based on the different ways this collective understands, experiences and deals with the situation of unemployment, revealing the need for both a flexible view and a broad range of measures adapted to the distinct profiles and life situations.

Keywords: Blogs; Social Networks; Unemployment; People over 45 Years Old; Social Disadvantage.