This volume examines academic careers and career-making endeavors in contemporary society. It serves as a critical forum for theoretical reflection and generalization, a thought-provoking reference for institutional innovation and reform, and a down-to-earth guide for individual learning and practice.

Author Victor N. Shaw first explores the key requirements for academicians to make a career, including educational preparation, job searching, institutional placement, and professional networking. Shaw then identifies the essential elements for scholars to build and maintain a career identity, from the degree, position, publication, teaching, presentation, service, grant, award, and membership in academic associations, to tenure. Delving into the consequences of career-making in postmodern academia, Professor Shaw explores how seemingly impulsive individual potential and actions translate into socially effective forces, and established social forces and institutions dominate, manipulate, and oppress creativity and productive endeavors.