The Evolution of Professionalism as a Mode of Regulation: Evidence from the United States

Abstract

Opinion is divided on how far and in what ways professionalism as a mode of regulation has evolved. To date, attention has focused on the impact of neoliberal political and economic ideologies that challenge the idea that professions should be trusted to regulate themselves. This article further examines the impact of these attacks on professionalism and assesses whether they have triggered a process of decline. Drawing on a range of documentary sources from the US, it suggests that, while professional modes of regulation are evolving, the dominant pattern is one of continuity. The analysis also draws attention to the path-dependent nature of professionalism and how it is associated with increasing returns for key stakeholders: producers, government regulators and employers. The article’s main contribution is to highlight these trends empirically and raise questions about the accuracy and value of grand narratives that over-emphasise change and understate the self-reinforcing nature of professional modes of regulation.

Borrowed Credentials and Surrogate Professional Societies: A Critical Analysis of the Urban Forestry Profession

“…Whereas essential service to society is the philosophical core of a profession, the Body of Knowledge (BoK) is the tangible core. The BoK is a compendium of the most recent and best understanding of the minimum knowledge required to be a professional in a given discipline (Brauer 2011(Brauer , 2015Kirkpatrick et al 2020a). This knowledge is specialized and is continually reviewed and updated to reflect new advances in research and practice.…”

“…Professions with strong identities and clarity of purpose engage in periodic self-reflection that seeks improvement by scrutinizing the past, present, and future (Kirkpatrick et al 2020b). Professions are dynamic in space and time, but likewise are enmeshed in a dynamic society that is the end user of the services provided by those professions.…”

“…Competing professional organizations, disparate educational paths, and inconsistent job descriptions create challenges for those seeking careers and for development of a common body of knowledge for the profession (O'Herrin et al 2018a;O'Herrin et al 2018b). Standardization of qualifications and validation of expertise are not clear-cut, likely negatively impacting public perception and growth of the profession (Kirkpatrick et al 2020a(Kirkpatrick et al , 2020b. Recruitment and training of new professionals and continuing education of Abstract.…”

Gender and professionalism: Still a black box a call for research, debate and action. Suggestions from and beyond the pandemic crisis

“…Bringing out the logics of “categorization, classification and hierarchical ordering” (Brewis et al, 2014: 306), underlying the genderization of professions is an essential step for understanding the professionalism itself and its possible—but not obvious—evolutions (Kirkpatrick et al, 2021), especially in the direction of the development of a “new professionalism” (Evetts, 2011), more inclusive, open and democratic, as a challenge for the welfare professions.…”

“…Professionalism is a form of social organization (Freidson, 2001) and, more precisely, a mode of regulation (Crompton, 1990; Kirkpatrick et al, 2021), not only of work, but of the whole society. Gender and sex, although separate concepts, are intrinsically linked.…”