Civic Professionals

Those of us working in the field of civic engagement are increasingly drawn to an idea called "civic professionalism" that has been particularly well articulated by a philosopher named William Sullivan, one of the co-authors of both Habits of the Heart and The Good Society. Civic professionalism, which Sullivan explores most extensively in his book Work and Integrity, can be a rather elusive term and concept. One simple way to understand it might be the responsibility that any member of a profession has to learn from and add to the knowledge, skills, and values that constitute a profession's community of practice, and then to use what is gained to contribute to the overall public good. 

Just to be clear, this definition suggests there might be four stages to becoming a civic professional. First are the pre-professional educational experiences where we acquire the general knowledge, skills and sensibilities that allow us to become better thinkers, more skillful inquirers, and more well-rounded and understanding human beings.  Second is the somewhat narrower learning where novices acquire the knowledge, skills, and dispositions held by seasoned professionals about what it means to conduct oneself thoughtfully, skillfully, and ethically in that particular profession. From this perspective, it isn't enough to be a knowledgable and skillful practitioner. You are also expected to gain a perspective on the professional that is moral, that offers an account of what it means to treat clients and co-workers respectfully and compassionately. Third, one accepts the responsibility to become a leader in the profession by continuing to improve that community of practice and by actively inducting new members into the profession, again keeping in mind that knowledge and skills aren't enough. There is also a professional ethic that must be given its due.  These first three stages are part of what it means to be a good citizen of the profession. 

The fourth stage, which requires considerable "fleshing out" by both Sullivan and myself and others, invites experienced professionals to use their expertise to promote community betterment, and may even oblige them to be open to what can be learned from outsiders who have made use of the services that professionals provide. That is, civic professionals who are, say, doctors, contribute their expertise to solving social problems that have a medical dimension, but they also remain open to what patients and other observers of the health system can share about making the profession of medicine even more effective, humane, and inclusive for everyone's sake.

One of the attractions of civic professional is that it encourages more of us to think about how we might enact our civic responsibilities, perhaps not primarily in the public sphere through some form of community service, but definitely within one's profession or vocation. Even if a person only reaches the third stage of civic professionalism, there is still a significant role for that person to play in practicing the habits of a good citizen, which may contribute significantly to that profession's ability to be responsive to society's needs. Civic professionalism also carries important implications for how we educate people for highly responsible vocations. Gaining a sense of how that profession has developed over time, what that profession contributes to the public good, and how practitioners can continue to ensure that the profession's overall impact is benign might be important additions to professional education that could even begin in the pre-professional courses that make up general education. 

In any case, civic professionalism, rightly understood, is something we all can get behind because of its potential to help all of us as individuals become more effective practitioners, even as we also focus on how our professions are contributing to the general welfare.