Page 169 - The ISA Handbook in Contemporary Sociology

9781412934633-Chap-10 1/10/09 8:45 AM Page 140

10

Sociological Theories of

Professions: Conflict,

Competition and

Cooperation

Julia Evetts, Charles Gadea, Mariano Sánchez and Juan Sáez

The sociological study of knowledge-based at least relatively independent universities
work, occupations and professions is a long- and free professions, on the other hand, cre-
standing field of academic research which ated a majority of market-related professions
has been boosted significantly over the past and an elaborated sociology of professions,
decade and is set to expand further as soci- which has had strong impact worldwide. By
eties and economies become even more means of so-called Anglo-American neo-
dependent on service sector work, both right ideologies and Continental neo-liberalism,
nationally and internationally. There have an extensive convergence has, however, taken
been important historical reasons for differ- place. Work on new public management,
ent concepts, theories and analyses of profes- managerialism, entrepreneurialism, marketi-
sions in Continental European societies zation, and more explicit and integrated pro-
(particularly Germany and Scandinavian fessional work organizations has made
countries) in contrast to Anglo-American Anglo-American sociology of professions
societies. The Continental functional prox- even more applicable in Continental societies
imity between state government bureaucra- as well (Svensson and Evetts, 2003).
cies, public state universities and professions For several important reasons, the need for
created a minority of free professions, (‘freie comparative studies of different professional
Berufen’ and ‘professions libérales’), and occupations is becoming increasingly impor-
favoured sociology of class and organization tant. Firstly, considerable convergence has
to the disadvantage of sociology of profes- taken place between Continental European
sions (Burrage, 1990). The Anglo-American and Anglo-American societies. Secondly,
less centralized state governments, private or control by the management in professional