XIX ISA World Congress of Sociology (July 15-21, 2018)

857

Professions and Power: Challenge and Change

RC52 Sociology of Professional Groups (host committee)

Language: English

This session invites proposals in line with the main conference theme which consider the relationship between professions and power in an ever challenging and changing socio-political landscape. There are two key aspects to this session. The first is examining how far professions have retained power in face of such trends as growing corporatisation, the rise of the new public management, growing consumer lobbies and the state. The second aspect of the session is assessing to what extent this power has been and continues to be used in a just and responsible manner supportive of clients and the wider public, rather than simply in terms of professional self-interests. Such facets of the operation of professions in an increasingly global and fast changing world affect all professional groups - from accountancy and law through to health and social care - and have significant implications for public policy. In addressing these important issues some papers will be largely empirical in nature, while others will consider more fully the related question of how the interface between professions and power is conceptualised theoretically and methodologically. Abstracts should cover one or more individual professions in either single societies or comparative international context in analysing the themes concerned and/or in illustrating the arguments put forward.