Disciplined Minds

Book number JEL 2000-1455

Describes the political nature of professional work; the intense pressure that students and working professionals face to compromise their ideals and sideline their commitment to work for a better world; and what individuals can do to resist this pressure and remain politically independent. Explores the politics of professional work; how professionals are defined by their political responsibilities on the job; and how these politics guide the work of professionals. Examines the way people are selected to be professionals, discussing opportunity; the difference in outlook between those starting and those finishing professional school and the components of the training process that bring about this difference; how values are the bottom line in professional training; the intrinsic politics of the qualifying examination; standardized tests; and how the qualification system handles the many people it rejects. Catalogues the self-subordinating behaviors that are the hallmarks of the prototypical professional. Provides tips for resisting indoctrination and surviving professional training with your values intact. Schmidt is an editor at Physics Today magazine. Index.