This cross-disciplinary text is designed to appeal to a diversity of social science scholars. The central focus is on new ways of viewing the career, or how working lives unfold over time. Fresh views from psychology, social psychology, sociology, anthropology, organization theory, economics, and political science are among those represented in the twenty-five chapter anthology. The design of the handbook in three parts - current approaches, new ideas, and future directions - is intended to engage the reader in the debate from which new and better career theories can be developed.