The Pride & Prejudice of Professions
In this course, we will explore how professionals and their unique role of being “experts” of their respective domains have come to be in organizations, industries, and the international political economy. Leveraging readings from economics, law, medicine, sociology, political science, and the humanities (literature, history, and literary and visual arts), we will investigate how and why professionals cooperate, compete, shape norms, standards, and practices. We will analyze both ancient professions, like medicine, divinity, and law, as well as more contemporary ones like finance, science and engineering, political and civic management, and the arts. We will review the history of various professions to understand their expert roles and their unique privileges and concerns in society—while simultaneously taking into consideration centrally relevant topics such as self-governance, professional ethics, and fallout of their misconduct. Class discussion, short lectures, individual research writing assignments, and oral presentations will inform student learning experience. (INTD 0120 or instructor approval)