Canadian doctors have historically been an extremely powerful interest group. While there are many variables that account for their political influence, it is widely accepted that much of their power is due to their control over specialized knowledge. To determine whether or not physicians’ control over knowledge is changing, I examine doctors’ position relative to the state, the public and other health professionals. This research finds that, in all three relationships, physicians’ control over knowledge is weakening. Moreover, organized medicine’s response to these developments has largely been a strategy of co-optation, demonstrating that doctors are aware that these changes often cannot be openly fought. This strategy signals that the medical profession recognizes that some changes in its control over knowledge are bound to occur. This study concludes that these changes could contribute to a ‘critical juncture’ signalling the potential for significant change in the physician-state relationship.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:LACETR/oai:collectionscanada.gc.ca:NSHD.ca#10222/34641 |
| Date | 07 August 2013 |
| Creators | Diepeveen, Benjamin Philip |
| Source Sets | Library and Archives Canada ETDs Repository / Centre d'archives des thèses électroniques de Bibliothèque et Archives Canada |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
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