I’m pleased to share my new article in Administrative Science Quarterly on identity formation in emerging occupations, co-authored with Evelyn Micelotta, Claudia Gabbioneta and Mike Pratt.
The article theorizes layered accretion as a distinct process of occupational identity formation in unsaturated spaces, where identity construction is shaped less by differentiation from competing groups and more by the sequential importation, refinement, and layering of identities.
Empirically, the study draws on a qualitative historical analysis of American astronauts during the inception of space exploration, offering insight into how multiple identities are assembled and managed in the early stages of occupational emergence.
Link to the full article open access here