RECONSTITUTING A PROFESSION FOR AMERICAN PUBLIC-ADMINISTRATION

Is public administration a profession? Richard Green Lawrence Keller, and Gary Wamsley approach this long lasting debate from a new perspective. They argue that the field assumes an impoverished definition of ''profession'' and thus has neglected important dimensions of the practice that need examination in a more constructive debate. BY returning to the classical roots of the word ''profession,'' the authors attempt to illuminate the roles that public administrators have played, and must play, if they are to govern effectively and ''professionally.'' Drawing upon several works that develop the political roles of public administrators, they tie a conception of professionalism to constitutional politics rather than specialized managerial knowledge, perceiving public administration as a calling centered on democratic governance rather than techniques of policy implementation.