ores ▁central ▁questions ▁about ▁the ▁role ▁of ▁prof essions ▁in ▁modern ▁life : ▁through ▁compar ative ▁and ▁historical ▁study ▁of ▁the ▁prof essions ▁in ▁nin ete enth - ▁and ▁tw enti eth - century ▁England , ▁France , ▁and ▁America , ▁Abb ott ▁builds ▁a ▁general ▁theory ▁of ▁how ▁and ▁why ▁profession als ▁evol ve . ▁Re views ▁of ▁the ▁book ▁mention ▁several ▁" power ful ▁ideas " ▁that ▁enh ance ▁previous ▁work ▁on ▁profession als : ▁ ▁‘ The ▁appropriate ▁perspective ▁on ▁the ▁development ▁and ▁change ▁of ▁prof essions ▁is ▁e colog ical ’ . ▁ ▁‘ To ▁understand ▁prof essions , ▁one ▁must ▁study ▁juris dict ions , ▁areas ▁of ▁work ▁over ▁which ▁occup ational ▁groups ▁have ▁v ied ’ . ▁ ▁‘ Pro f essions ▁const itute ▁a ▁system ’ . ▁ ▁‘ Pro f essional ▁struggle ▁occurs ▁at ▁three ▁levels : ▁the ▁work place , ▁culture ▁and ▁public ▁opinion , ▁and ▁legal ▁and ▁administrative ▁rules ’ . ▁ ▁‘ The ▁most ▁consequ ential ▁strugg les ▁are ▁w aged ▁on ▁grounds ▁of ▁compet ence ▁and ▁theory . ▁Success ful ▁prof essions ▁maintain ▁a ▁‘ str ateg ic ▁heart land ▁mon opol y ’ ▁over ▁a ▁core ▁juris diction ’ . ▁ ▁The ▁arguments ▁are ▁illustrated ▁by ▁three ▁historical ▁case ▁studies . ▁First ▁named ▁‘ a ▁fasc in ating ▁account ▁of ▁strugg les ▁by ▁li br ari ans , ▁computer ▁program mers , ▁operations ▁research ers , ▁and ▁others ▁over ▁the ▁“ information ” ▁juris diction ’ ▁is ▁reported ▁to ▁be