Retour sur la professionnalisation politique. Revue de littérature critique et perspectives

Drawing upon an extensive literature review on the topic of “political professionalisation” in the French social sciences, this article has two goals. The first is to specify the ways in which this term has been used in recent decades. It shows that, apart from the classical definition borrowed from Max Weber, three other definitions of political professionalisation are often present in the publications it cites, at least implicitly: based on the time spent in the political field; based on the career trajectory of the individual; or based on the knowledge acquired and ethos developed to thrive fully in the job. From there, the article identifies and discusses some of the most pressing issues currently facing researchers in this area, whether relating to the conceptual aspects or the measurement of the phenomenon, or to the reintegration of the problem into a broader social science framework. It also calls for a deeper engagement with the literature on work and occupation. Overall, the article sheds lights on some of the most important transformations that the French political sphere has undergone in recent decades.