The Sociology of Professions

Sociological studies of professions have traditionally focused on definitional list-making in an attempt to differentiate professions from nonprofessions. Despite recent criticisms of that approach, it has persisted. After first discussing inconsistencies and difficulties associated with the traditional approach, this paper explores an alternative perspective for analyzing professions. It is argued that the ability to obtain and maintain professional status is closely related to concrete occupational strategies and to wider social forces and arrangements of power. Such a perspective leads to a consideration of the social meaning of occupational tasks, the resources behind the emergence and continuation of professionalism, and the social consequences of professionalism.