Answered and Abandoned: Navigating Views of Work After Abandoning a Calling

Dissertation Proposal​​

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Teacher shortages have reached unprecedented levels, with a growing number of teachers leaving the profession, many of whom once viewed their work as a calling.  Despite the growing prevalence of this issue, research has largely overlooked the concept of abandoned callings.  Existing literature primarily focuses on how individuals enter or maintain a calling, often assuming that once a calling is established, it persists over time.  However, recent perspectives suggest that callings may evolve, become more negative, or even untenable, leading some individuals to abandon them.  Building on a dynamic, process-oriented view of callings, I examine how abandoning a calling can have a profound impact on subsequent views of work.  Using an inductive, qualitative approach and grounded theory methodology, this study aims to build theory addressing how individuals respond to abandoning their calling, the challenges they face, and the long-term effects on their career trajectories.  This study contributes to the evolving understanding of callings, moving beyond why individuals might leave their callings to focus on the implications of abandonment for post-calling work.  The implications of this study hold practical value for organizations and managers in developing policies to support employees through career transitions, helping them address the emotional and identity-related challenges that arise as they move away from their callings and navigate what comes next, and addressing broader implications for mental health and wellbeing in the workplace.