Professions and Metaphors: Understanding Professions in Society explores the way that two traditions have contributed to our understanding of both theory and society over recent decades. This edited collection brings together these two traditions for the first time, providing a unique and systematic overview, at macro and micro level, of the use of metaphors in the sociology of professions.

1. Introducing Professions and Metaphors (A. Liljegren and M. Saks) 2. Key Metaphors in the Sociology of Professions: Occupations as Hierarchies and Landscapes (A. Liljegren) 3. The Ecological Metaphor in the Sociology of Occupations and Professions (R. Dingwall) 4. Slaying the Minotaur: Reflections on the Sociology of the Professions (M. Saks) 5. Social Closure: On Metaphors, Professions and a Boa Constrictor (O. Agevall) 6. Regulating the English Health Professions: Zoos, Circuses or Safari Parks? (M. Saks) 7. Boundaries of Social Work or Social Work of Boundaries? (A. Abbott) 8. Gender and Law and the Metaphor of Justice-As-A-Woman: An Evolutionary Socio-Legal Perspective (V. Olgiati) 9. Engineering the Soul: Construction and Sacrifice in the Teaching Profession (L. Jin and M. Cortazzi) 10. Metaphors We Help By: Socio-Cognitive Patterns of Professionals in Social Work (R. Schmitt) 11. Metaphors in Medical Practice: A Jurisdictional Tool (I. Pedersen)