ABSTRACT
The study of professionalizing occupations provides a fascinating entree into the basic processes of society. Professionalizing occupations take on some of the characteristics of a social movement. Social activities may accompany these meetings, and to the outsider it may appear that providing the occasion for having a good time is their primary function, particularly at national conventions. Occupations that take professionalizing seriously seldom let the news media operate without "help" from their public relations arm. For the professionalizing occupations the crippling roles applied to sociological researchers might include social reformer, "consumerist," muckraker, detractor, student amateur, sensationalist writer, liberal-tinted-red, and socialist. The rhetoric of a professionalizing occupation tends to be optimistic and will be expansionist, progress-minded, exhortative, and even a little breathless. Spontaneous demonstrations, unexpected floor speeches, nonscheduled caucuses and meetings all serve as clues to what is happening in the occupation.
