This work reports on a range of research studies in the career field that use biographical, narrative, and ecological approaches within an interpretive framework. It responds to the recognized dissonance between career theory and research, on the one part, and practice, on the other. It also responds to the view that in recent years practice has outstripped career theory and research. The qualitative approaches used in the research reported have gained popularity in the social sciences in recent years, but have been largely untried in the career field.

This work offers specific interpretive studies that range over the life span and involve a number of perspectives including contexts such as parental influence, socio-political milieu, early career studies of apprentices, medical students, and nurses, studies of the established careers of secretaries, women entrepreneurs, teachers, and studies of the careers of older workers. In addition, the book contains interpretive studies pertaining to career theory, counseling and other interventions, and the research process. It also recognizes issues highlighted by a postmodernist perspective. A number of audiences will find this book useful: industrial/organizational psychologists, counseling psychologists, career counselors, counselor educators, and researchers in the career area from psychology and sociology.