
11
Chapter 2
Why Worry about Role
Conceptualization?
Professional Socialization
in Public Administration
Introduction
Addressing the process of professional socialization does not mean to suggest, tac-
itly or otherwise, that public administration is a profession per se, professional-
ism as popularly dened, or any one specic formula for professionalism. Indeed,
the three Traditions can be used to deconstruct the meaning of professionalism
to reveal conicting understandings of legitimacy. In other words, each Tradition
promotes a dierent form of professionalism, so no one denition can be asserted
without question. ese notions of professiona ...