Abstract
Proposals for the reform of professional education are frequently supported by reference to the unique and compelling nature of contemporary society; yet the specific reforms that are urged are often those put forward 50 years ago. Based on recent reports in the fields of medical, dental, nursing, and teacher education, this paper explains the inertial quality of reform language as an effect of an inevitable tension between professional practice and institutions that support it. I suggest that, in spite of its apparent lack of rationality, such language can be seen as functional in mediating this tension.
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