Defining Careers

Abstract

The emerging career literature increasingly redefines the individual as the primary repository of control, responsibilities, and benefits of 'the career' and promises individual empowerment and liberation. 'The career' is being conceptually decoupled from its historical employment or occupational related limitations. Individuals become the authors of their diverse and multidimensional destinies. Women are promised equal career opportunities with other diverse human beings. Through a longitudinal, feminist participatory action research project, we aim to encourage research participants to engage in career exploration and planning. We note the attempts of participants to devise broadened definitions of 'career' consistent with the 'protean ' or 'boundary less' notions now finding favour in career Literature and to live out those aspirations embodied in their definitions. We invoke the analytical contributions of critical theorists to caution against the prevailing optimism for women's career opportunities implied in contemporary career writing which take scant account of persistent capitalist and patriarchal exploitation.