Regulating professionals - Professionals their rise and

							MASTERS WORK COLLEGE
Regulating professionals

Lecturer: Dr Amanda Smullen
Contact details: Tel. 020 525 7378 Email. a.j.smullen@uva.nl

The last twenty years have seen the professionalization of almost everybody. Besides
the traditional professions of medicine and law, now other occupations such as the
police and public managers have been busy with their professionalization. Within the
realm of the state and policy making professionals have always played an important
role in delivering services. On the one hand, the state depends upon professional
knowledge and ethics to – among other things- be able to care, organize accounts,
protect and teach the population. Professional autonomy is considered an essential
condition for these activities to be done well. On the other hand, professional
autonomy also presents a range of concerns for the state, policy makers and society
such as their accountability to government and clients, and their costs to the public
purse. These concerns have motivated different efforts to regulate professionals.

This course brings together both theoretical and empirical literature about the
professions and their regulation by the state and other actors. Firstly, it presents and
critically examines the academic literature about professionalism as a method of
organizing work. This includes theoretical literature conceptualising the notion of a
profession, as well as historical literature describing the rise of professions and their
place in society. Examples of the medical and accounting profession are used.
Secondly, the course also presents academic literature regarding different means and
efforts to regulate professionals. Finally, the course also examines recent empirical
experience with regulating professionals. Cases from hospitals, the international
organization of accountants and the police force are discussed and analyzed.


Learning objectives

      This course introduces you to the sociology of the professions literature. This
       includes the famous theoretical works of Freidson (2001) and Abbott (1988)
       regarding the logic and emergence of the professions. Furthermore, it brings
       together literature within organizational theory and public policy for the
       purpose of examining the difficulties and possibilities for regulating
       professionals. These include recent normative literature about the role of the
       professional in policy making and society more generally.
      Throughout the course theories about the professions and regulation will be
       applied and examined through the presentation of different empirical case
       studies. These include studies about the emergence of different professions
       and the maintenance of professional standards, as well as studies highlighting
       different efforts, experiences and consequences (both intended and untended)
       of regulating professionals. Primary attention is given to professionals that
       affect or deliver public services such as accountants, doctors and the police.
       You will also be required to use the theoretical material to write your own
       research paper on professional experiences with regulation.
      The theories, normative debates and empirical cases studies presented in this
       course will provide you with concepts to analyze and draw your own
       conclusions about the affects of or experiences of professionals with
       regulation. Furthermore some attention will be lent to issues of research
       methodology and design. This includes attention for methods of studying
       professionals and selecting cases for study.
      This course will demand the exercise of a number of communication skills.
       Presentations about the reading material are a requirement for all students and
       there will also be possibilities to debate the role of professionals throughout
       the course. It is intended that there will also be the possibility to interview
       professionals. Other skills practiced in this course include the writing and
       design of both conceptual and research papers.


Readings: To be announced