Describes the development of the naval professional in England during the 16th & 17th centuries, aiming to show how professionalism reflected the rise of the European nation-state & how social science benefits from the sociology of professions. Drawing on historical accounts from the era & from 19th- & early-20th-century British naval histories, the evolution of the English seaman from common sailor to officer & gentleman is defined in terms of how it coincided with England's ascendancy to world power. Also at issue is the social standing of the naval professional & how it developed along with England's military & economic conquests. Previous examinations of ships' logs of the early 16th century illustrate the growing connection between naval leaders & the court, though the lower-class standing of naval personnel remains evident. The development of the terminology for sailors, officers, & commanders during the time period is also analyzed in regard to the rise of professionalism.  D. Bajo

Source: Sociological Abstracts Inc.