Transnational Professions

This review answers recent calls to consider the transformative role of transnational professions in contemporary globalization. We distinguish these professions from those traditionally centered in sociological research: that is, from professions constrained by states' geographical boundaries and by nationally-based professional associations. Over the past two decades, a vibrant research stream has emerged on professionals and forms of work that transcend national boundaries, raising new questions about agency, territoriality and the replication of privilege in world society. We examine transnational professions across a range of occupations and sectors, as well as world regions, extracting the implications for sociological theory and methods. Our review concludes by outlining a scholarly agenda that highlights the opportunity structures and likely trajectories for those who locate themselves in transnational professional space, suggesting how they can be investigated in future research.