The university from their images. Professionalization, deprofesionalization or proletarization in the contemporary university

Abstract

The University represents one of many actors such as Estate, Market, professional groups, that nowadays contribute to the professionalization and the development of professions. It also contributes, of course, to the professionalization of the institution itself and of its professions. It is a complex reality and its image as a professional organization describes only a part of the puzzle that defines its social nature: this important metaphor is not the only one that can give us a clear and coherent idea of it.. These images have been, more or less, changing with time and ruling ones over the others depending on the timing and the place. The goal of this text is to present those transformations through these aforementioned images; with the intention of getting closer to the institution itself and in order to reiterate the discussion that is linked to it: the conflict between professionalization and unprofessionalization, two antonyms from which our organization can be thought of.