The Presentation of Occupational Self in Science

I examine the ways in which scientists create and present self-identities. Previous work, in particular research on social stratification in science, has underplayed identity and its contextual variations. I draw upon interviews with scientists who work in two distinct types of American universities, which provides a comparative basis on which to study identities in different contexts of scientific practice. I focus on three aspects of careers, which ground my comparative analysis: commitment, mobility concerns, and the uses of work history.