ABSTRACT
A central premise in this book is that American professions are entering a new dark age. In this opening chapter, the authors set the stage for their analysis and this pivotal argument by drawing upon different theoretical perspectives, documenting societal and sectoral trends that have affected the perception, value, and stability of professional expertise and institutions, and identifying a series of concerning questions about the state of professional work that have guided their research and interest in the changing nature of elite professions. The chapter ends with four vignettes that touch upon pressing themes within the authors’ research and a brief outline of what unfolds in the rest of the book.
