SOC355H5 Lecture 2: SOC355 – LECTURE 2
Document Summary
Without expertise there could be no claim to professionalism. This knowledge they have is formalized you need to be able to pass it along and teach others. Abstract knowledge is what professionals fight over when they claim to have the knowledge. This is what sets professionals apart from occupations. You need to have a knowledge system that is governed by abstractions. They need to sell to us that they are the professionals that can solve the problem. Key steps that professionals take: diagnose, infer and treat the problem. State your claim over knowledge by process called social closure. Social closure means that not everybody can become a member of the profession. Degrees, diplomas and certificates aren"t enough you need that state power. The profession owns their body of knowledge. Suicide determination and the professional authority of medical examiners. We need to understand expertise and authority to understand why suicide is underreported.
