How do freelance journalists manage income risk? Practices from late modernity

In the context of the disputed global transformation of labour markets and that of media industry, the aim of this master's thesis was to study how freelance journalists manage irregular and uncertain income, namely income risk. The topic was scrutinized within the frame of prominent individualization theories by Zygmunt Bauman, Ulrich Beck and Anthony Giddens, which describe a transformation of social relations within post-industrial societies. The study comprised of interviews with freelance journalists, and the focus of analysis was on practices of income risk management. Income risk was managed either by relying solely on self as the risk-bearer, or by relying on financial support from the welfare state and/or social support networks occasionally or regularly. The findings also revealed that in addition to managing fluctuating income, practices were also deployed to cope with low income. Financial support was received from social support networks occasionally when there was a need. Intergenerational financial support played a role, as aid was received from parents by adult children.Household finances involved both de-traditional and traditional arrangements, as spouses/partners either possessed separate resources or they shared common resources. Separate resources implied that money was borrowed from spouse or partner if needed. Public transfers were used either to supplement low income on a regular and long-term basis or occasionally to cope with temporary periods with no income. Attention is especially drawn to unemployment security system, which is argued to have created insiders and outsiders clubs. There was a common understanding among the full-time freelancers of being excluded from unemployment security. Based on their understandings the system fails to recognize temporary unemployment, a situation in which one would aspire to continue as a freelancer after a period with no work. The requirement of full unemployment in case of full-time entrepreneurs was experienced as problematic as freelance journalists need to constantly seek for commissions and clients if they want to continue as freelancers. It remains to be seen how the fairly recent reform of the unemployment security legislation influences their access to unemployment benefits in case of temporary unemployment. To conclude, the findings tell a manifold story of how individualization is reflected in social and societal relations in income risk management of freelance journalists. Individualization theories commonly hold that social support networks have become weakened, and that it is increasingly the individual who is expected to bear risks alone. Based on the findings individuals were not left on their own if they could not cope with the risk alone. Those who managed the risk independently did so because they were able to, not because there would have been lack of support. On the other hand, those who were in need of help received financial support either from their social support network and/or the welfare state. Yet, individualization was reflected in these relations in versatile ways