The general purpose of this thesis is to contribute to further understanding of the academic appointment process explored and defined as participation in a collegial educational process. The appointment process for academic positions has historically been regulated by state authorities ever since the first university was established in Sweden and has continuously been questioned for necessity, procedure etc. The object of study is the appointment process focusing the consideration of teaching skill in appointing academic teachers. A theoretical construction is used as a method in order to grasp what the experts and applicants consider. The thesis draws theoretical inspiration from the French sociologist Pierre Bourdieu especially his work on social practice and his explanations within praxeological knowledge. In this thesis cultural capital, habitus and doxa are used as concepts for constructing a social practice. Inspired by Bourdieu’s concepts, the appointment process is made visible grounded on documentation: judgments of qualifications written by external experts and the applicants’ documentation in their applications. The empirical material on merits is analyzed according to Bourdieu’s indicators on symbolic capacities. The disposition of habitus (as an inner organizing principle) is limited to cultural capital and background demographic data. The indicators on scientific skill are also transmitted into symbolic capacities on teaching skill. Three appointments as assistant professors are analyzed, framed by information on advertisement, description of documentation, time lapse and final decision in appointment committees. The main conclusions are that the experts select whom to appoint using their practical sense unaware of the driving forces, explained as social practice. The experts act in line with the purpose of the assignment and they follow all the rules and instructions. Teaching skill is focused by the applicants and experts as practical mastery in the subject field (pedagogical authority). Selection is explained by the concept of habitus. Another conclusion is the tendency to “nuanced” co-optation similar to when appointments were made by self selection and teaching ability was important in early 19th century. A final conclusion is that in positioning of arguments in shared beliefs (doxa) in questioning the appointment process, researchers in the early years of this century represent heterodox opinions.

Un regard sur l’actualité de cette Église laisse apparaître que la collaboration entre autorités magistérielles et théologiensparticipant à la tâche d’enseignement doctrinal et catéchétique de l’Église catholique romaine connaît quelques difficultés, a fortiori dans des sociétés davantage pluralistes et sécularisées. Parfois les recherches théologiques contribuent à mettre en péril la communion ecclésiale ou sa cohésion quant à la foi et à la théologie morale. L’instruction de la Curie romaine Donum veritatis du 24 mai 1990 intervient en doctrine et en procédure de régulation de l’exercice de la liberté et de la responsabilité du théologien catholique et les critères d’ecclésialités à respecter pour garantir la pleine communion. Ce sont les critères d’orthodoxie, d’orthopraxie, d’adhésion et de communion ecclésiale.La question du statut canonique du théologien est débattue et l’autorité catholique a dû préciser la doctrine et le statut du théologiencatholique. Le code de droit canonique latin de 1983 prévoit-il des dispositions pour la régulation de la mission du théologien enfonction de l’exigence de pleine communion ecclésiale ? Une thèse en droit canonique était nécessaire pour proposer un premierbilan sur la vocation du théologien catholique, sur l’institution de la théologie catholique, et sur l’état de vie canonique de théologiencatholique. Comment la canonicité accompagne-t-elle un fidèle qui, par l’acquisition de compétences reconnues, veut devenir unthéologien catholique ? Comment analyser l’idonéité du postulant ? Comment lui octroyer, puis si nécessaire lui retirer un mandatcanonique concernant cette mission d’Église ? Comment garantir la conscience et la liberté du théologien catholique ? En cas dedissentiment-désaccord, comment qualifier cette situation ? Donc, le théologien jouit des libertés reconnues par son Eglise mais dansles limites du devoir de communion dont traite le canon 209 §. 1 du Code latin de 1983 et le canon 12§. 2 du Code des Canons desÉglises Orientales. / A glance of the current events of this Church brings to light that the collaboration between magisterial authorities and theologians involved with the task of doctrinal and catechetical education of the Roman Catholic Church experiences some difficulties, especially in more diverse and secularized societies. Sometimes theological research contributes to put the endangerment of the ecclesial communion or its cohesiveness with regard to the faith and moral theology. The instruction of the Roman Curie Donum veritatis of May 24th, 1990 enters in doctrine and in the procedure of regulation of the exercise of the freedom and the responsibility of the catholic theologian and the ecclesiastic to be met to ensure full communion. They are the criteria of orthodoxy, orthopraxy, ecclesial membership and communion.The question of the canonical status of theologians is debated and the catholic authority is obliged to specify the doctrine and the status of the catholic theologian. Does the code of Latin canon law of 1983 foresee rules for the regulation of the mission of the theologian according to the requirement of full ecclesial communion? A thesis in canon law was necessary to provide an initial assessment of the vocation of the catholic theologian, the institution of catholic theology, and the status of catholic theologians under Canon law. How does canonicity assist a faithful who, by the acquisition of recognized skills, wants to become a catholic theologian? How does one evaluate the suitability of the applicant? How to grant a candidate the status of theologian under Canon law and, if necessary, withdraw such status for the good of the Church? How does one guarantee the consciousness and the freedom of the catholic theologian? In case of differences of opinion or disagreement, how does one qualify this situation? Thus, the theologian enjoys liberties recognized by his Church but within the limits of the duty of communion described in canon # 209 § 1 of the Latin Code of 1983 and canon # 12 § 2 of the Code of the Oriental Churches’ Canons.