Abstract
This chapter explores the ways in which austerity measures taken by the Coalition and subsequent Conservative governments have methodically undermined professionalism and the implications for professionals and their clients. The chapter will focus on both the economic and the ideological imperatives which are the underpinning rationale for the changes in the provision of public sector services. The chapter will also discuss how professional groups in the fields of health and social care are making sense of the attacks being made on their roles and social standing. Finally, the chapter will consider which theoretical frameworks (Neo-Durkheimian, Neo-Weberian, and Neo-Marxism and Post-Structuralism and Managerialism) provide the best lens through which to make sense of the multi-layered ways in which professionals and ultimately public services are being corroded.
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Malin, N. (2018). Austerity and De-professionalisation. In: Rushton, P., Donovan, C. (eds) Austerity Policies . Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-79120-3_5
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