‘Blaming-the-poor’: Strengths and development discourses which obfuscate neo-liberal and individualist ideologies

Abstract

Critical interrogation of social work texts reveals ideologies contributing to hegemonic ‘taken-for-granted’ knowledge that maintains oppressive power relations. In the South African context of ongoing inequality after the 1994 democratic transition, neo-liberal ideologies have structured and constrained social work knowledge and practice constitutive of social change. Similarly, conservative neo-liberal ideologies underpinning social work knowledge and discourse act performatively to shape practice and social realities. This article, based on a section of the author’s PhD study, examines one of the thematic ideological trends found in post-1994 social work texts on poverty and social development, which reflect neo-liberal, individualist ideologies of ‘blaming-the-poor’ and personal culpability for poverty. A selection of three texts is discussed, illustrating processes and modes of operation of these ideologies in the various approaches proposed.

Do non-governmental organizations bring change or maintain the status quo in times of crisis? A case study of the Marikana massacre in South Africa

“…This charitable or missionary role of NGOs may also subdue socio-political unrest and discontent -what was designed to serve the poor also maintains social order, protecting the interests of ruling classes and the rich (Manji & O'Coill, 2002;Kapoor, 2012). These interventions may be described as domesticating and maintaining of the status quo rather than transformative and liberating, producing social change (Harms Smith, 2017). NGOs pursuing socio-economic development agendas for example, thrived in the African context during the time of structural adjustment programmes imposed by Bretton Woods Institutions, 4 with African countries experiencing deepening levels of debt, unemployment and dependence (Manji & O'Coill, 2002;Shivju, 2007).…”

Harm, opportunity, optimism: Young people’s negotiation of precarious circumstances

“…The issues faced by those who experience adversity are explored in research on the human condition and on the nature of citizenship in neo-liberal societies (Bauman, 2004; Featherstone et al, 2014; Frost and Hoggett, 2008; Harms Smith, 2015; Runswick-Cole and Goodley, 2015; Spolander et al, 2015). Recent writing has utilised Bourdieu’s (1999) conceptualisation of ‘social suffering’ (Frost and Hoggett, 2008: 438) and considers the impact of neo-liberal policy on citizens.…”

“…At the core of this practice is building an understanding of the effects of neo-liberalism and social and economic inequality, and how vulnerable young people and their families bear the brunt of structural constraints (Frost and Hoggett, 2008). At a macro level, practitioners can continue to disrupt the ideologies that promote the ‘self-care [of individuals] through market relations’ (Runswick-Cole and Goodley, 2015: 163) that blame individuals for the effects of structural conditions and that undermine collective responsibility for social and economic well-being (Harms Smith, 2015). At an individual level, practitioners can work to understand the impact of living in precarious and impoverished circumstances.…”

Research Evidence to Inform Strengths-Based Policy and Practice: Mapping the Coping Strategies of Young Women in Mozambique

“…Strengths-based perspectives are a core part of social work values, practice and policy approaches, closely linked with concepts of resilience or 'coping' (Hill, 2008;Ungar, 2008;Fawcett and Reynolds, 2010;Guo and Tsui, 2010;Hutchinson, 2014;Harms Smith, 2017).…”

“…Laird (2008), for example, warns that concepts of 'strength' and 'coping' in an African context, for example, need to take into account the socio-economic, rather than psycho-social, causes of social problems in the region. In addition, there are many ways to conceive of 'strengths' which are culturally determined, set within an environmental context that dictates what is appropriate and available (Ungar, 2008).These concerns are particularly pertinent in contexts of poverty and international development (Harms Smith, 2017). Yet strengths-based principles underpin many models frequently used in social development such as asset-building or capacity-building (Rapp et al, 2005).…”