Page 177 - The ISA Handbook in Contemporary Sociology

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148 THE ISA HANDBOOK IN CONTEMPORARY SOCIOLOGY

emphasis on analysis and interpretation came These essentially functionalist interpretations
later. The more recent period is characterized emphasized contributions and cooperation
by marked improvements in both data collec- and the research is mostly idealistic and
tion and international influences. In this sec- rhetorical. Secondly, the data sources most
tion we review these periods with particular often used in these accounts were the work of
emphasis on the concepts of conflict, compe- professional associations, newsletters, jour-
tition and cooperation. nals and codes, and again subjectivity and
partiality are predominant. Thirdly, assess-
ments tend to be self-laudatory, almost
Sociology of the professions in Spain uniquely centred on the virtues and positive
aspects of professionals such as doctors
before 1982: the liberal professions
(Marañón, 1962), lawyers (Belda Calatayud,
During this period Spanish analyses of the 1957), or teachers (Manjón, 1945).
professions centred mostly on the study of In general then this was a period of slow
particular occupational groups (usually but sustained development. There were
important professional groups) and there was debates about the need to improve the quality
little or no comparison between them. of previous studies and to operate with more
Examples of these early studies are those by adequate concepts, research methods and
Marañón (1952) on medicine, Alvarez-Sierra processes. There were the beginnings of a
(1955) on medical assistants and midwives, critique of the liberal model which, although
and Gómez Barnussell (1972) focusing on still weak, indicated the start of a search for
teaching as a profession. The approach was alternative interpretations. It is also the case
essentially descriptive with a functionalist that functionalist theories were predominant
interpretation. The kinds of information in the first part of the period. The main traits
offered in such research considered questions and features of professions (Lacalle, 1976;
such as the place of the profession in the Laguna, 1975) had strong links with the
social context, its potential for employment, ‘trait’ approach to professions as institutions
its social role and status and the motives of in Anglo-American interpretations. In addi-
practitioners for becoming professionals and tion, other researchers were beginning to
doing that work. show an interest in processes of conflict and
Martin-Moreno and Miguel (1982) identified competition which included how older pro-
two main features of research during this early fessions evolve and new professions come
period. Firstly, it was professional practitioners about in a context of other important social
themselves (rather than scholars and rese- changes (Busquets, 1971; De Miguel, 1979;
archers) who analyzed their own work practices Iice, 1975; Lacalle, 1976; Martín-Moreno
and procedures. As a consequence, the findings and De Miguel, 1976; Subirats, 1981). Spain
are mostly descriptive as well as subjective in was becoming more and more a services soci-
that they underline and amplify the positive ety (the role of tourism in Spanish economic
aspects and contributions of professional work. renewal from the early sixties was outstand-
However, there were some interesting excep- ing), but still one within a non-democratic
tions; analyses such as that by Marcos Alonso regime. In this context, professions (and the
(1974) around engineers in Catalonia, and welfare state) developed unevenly: higher
those by Estruch and Güell (1976) on so-called professional status and privileges remained
social assistants (the future social workers) by in the hands of the dominant social classes.
Martín Barroso (1978) about the potentialities Martín Serrano (1982), from a Marxist
of nursing as a profession in the welfare state, perspective, criticized this form of domi-
and by Todolí (1975) reflecting on ethical com- nance linked to professions. The relation-
mitments of professionals, represent descriptive ship between professions and gender also
but independent approaches (by outsiders) to gained research prominence since some pro-
professional practices. fessional groups seemed to be more feminized