Abstract
In 2011, Chudzikowski and Mayrhofer set an agenda for career studies by emphasising the potential of grand social theories (GSTs) to facilitate more sophisticated theorisation of the field as well as deeper interdisciplinary multilogue. They developed major touchstones as criteria for these contributions and suggested Bourdieu’s Theory of Practice as a potential “unifying framework for generating new questions in career research and systematically integrating concepts from other disciplines” (Chudzikowski & Mayrhofer, 2011: 19).
After more than a decade and despite multiple examples of using GSTs and a Bourdieisan framework in career studies, the results of the agenda are somewhat sobering. It could be argued that further progress has been hampered by the proposed touchstones and the Bourdieusian framework with its limitations. This leads to two major questions. First, what are the current touchstones for integrative frameworks in career studies that account for more recent theoretical developments and contextual requirements? Second, are there alternatives or adaptations within the array of GSTs that could help us to overcome the limitations of Bourdieu’s Theory of Practice and provide a more comprehensive theoretical framework to analyse careers?
Our paper responds to both questions by, firstly, outlining seven touchstones that serve as indicators of a theoretical framework’s potential to advance the field of career studies. Secondly, we illuminate how Margaret Archer’s (2003, 2007) Realist Social Theory (RST) rooted in the ontology of critical realism (CR) adds to our understanding of careers in light of these touchstones
After more than a decade and despite multiple examples of using GSTs and a Bourdieisan framework in career studies, the results of the agenda are somewhat sobering. It could be argued that further progress has been hampered by the proposed touchstones and the Bourdieusian framework with its limitations. This leads to two major questions. First, what are the current touchstones for integrative frameworks in career studies that account for more recent theoretical developments and contextual requirements? Second, are there alternatives or adaptations within the array of GSTs that could help us to overcome the limitations of Bourdieu’s Theory of Practice and provide a more comprehensive theoretical framework to analyse careers?
Our paper responds to both questions by, firstly, outlining seven touchstones that serve as indicators of a theoretical framework’s potential to advance the field of career studies. Secondly, we illuminate how Margaret Archer’s (2003, 2007) Realist Social Theory (RST) rooted in the ontology of critical realism (CR) adds to our understanding of careers in light of these touchstones
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Publication status | Acceptance date - 17 Oct 2022 |