In this book, Stehr and Grundmann outline the theoretical significance and practical importance of the growing stratum of experts, counsellors and advisors in contemporary society. They argue that these experts perform knowledge based activities that mediate between the context of knowledge creation and application. Existing approaches tend to restrict the role of the expert to scientists, or to conflate the roles of professionals with experts. In avoiding such restrictions, this book sets out a framework to understanding the growing role of expertise in a better way.

Nico Stehr is Karl Mannheim Professor for Cultural Studies at Zeppelin University, Germany.

Reiner Grundmann is Reader in Sociology at the School of Languages and Social Sciences, Aston University, Birmingham.

1. Introduction: The Growing Significance of Expertise in Modern Societies 2. Knowledge and Expertise 3. Who are the Knowledge Workers? 4. What Do Experts Do? 5. The Hierarchy of Expertise 6. Social Change and the Crisis of Scientific Expertise 7. Conclusion