Oppressors or saviours? The role of professions in a changing world

Mike Saks

Chapter 2 in Research Handbook on the Sociology of the Professions, 2025, pp 21-34 from Edward Elgar Publishing

Abstract: This chapter asks whether professions have acted more as oppressors or saviours in fast-changing modern societies. It begins by observing that early social theorists generally took a positive view of such groups in a more deferential societal climate. However, they were heavily attacked in various sociological theories after the 1960s/1970s counterculture. Nonetheless, much of such work defining them as oppressors was not strongly evidence based. Drawing primarily on neo-Weberianism, which has the most potential for providing a more open-ended analysis of professions in a changing world, the chapter argues that the recently rising influence of clients and citizens, the state and corporations and organisations has diluted claims about the oppressive role of professions – especially given their publicly oriented actions in contemporary neo-liberal societies. These have counterbalanced professional wrongdoing, in part linked to the rise of professional service firms. It is held, though, that future reconfigurations of professions are still needed if they are to be seen as our saviours.

Keywords: Citizens; Neo-Weberianism; Organisations; Professions; Sociological Theory; State (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
ISBN: 9781035323074
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