Engaging with social work: a critical introduction

Morley, Christine; Ablett, Phillip; Macfarlane, Selma

doi:10.1080/02615479.2016.1183747

Cited by 19 publications

(26 citation statements)

References 287 publications

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“…It involves critical evaluation of one's own social positioning (the impact of geographic, historical, ethnic, gendered, and socioeconomic status) and the ways in which personal biography shapes one's worldview, critical analysis of socio-political contexts and reflection on professional practice to ultimately reconstruct possibilities for action (Fook, 2016). Morley et al (2014) provide an empirical example from practice that demonstrates how critical reflection is an important part THEORETICAL RESEARCH ORIGINAL ARTICLE of radical/structural social work to assist social workers to unmask conservative thinking and re-frame practices. This also safeguards against critical practices that are well intentioned, yet potentially oppressive; and "enhance the possibilities for critical [and radical] practice in organisational contexts that are restrictive by empowering practitioners to connect with a sense of agency to create change" (Morley, 2016b, p. 25).…”

Section: A Radical Social Work Curriculummentioning

confidence: 99%

“…While some proponents of radical social work suggest that it almost "disappeared" in the 1980s (Ferguson, 2016), a number of commentators are discussing the contemporary revival of radical and critical perspectives in social work, acknowledging the importance and relevance of them now, more than ever before (see for example, Ferguson, 2016;Gray & Webb, 2013;Morley, 2016a;Morley & Ablett, 2016;Morley et al, 2014). Mainstream social work which, in some quarters, has arguably been co-opted by neoliberal, managerial and medicalised therapeutic discourses (see for example, Ferguson & Lavalette, 2006;Gardner, 2014;Madhu, 2011;Rogowski, 2010;Wallace & Pease, 2011;Wehbi & Turcotte, 2007), has paid little attention to the escalating social problems of wealth and income inequality.…”

Section: Original Article Theoretical Researchmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Rising wealth and income inequality in Australia and New Zealand: A radical social work critique and response

Morley

Ablett

2017

ANZSWJ

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INTRODUCTION: Wealth and income inequality is increasing in most societies, including Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand, with detrimental social impacts. However, despite professional marginality, the renewal of radical social work critiques with their emphasis on structural issues highlight, the need for alternative practice responses.METHOD: We employed a critical and synthetic review of the literature to examine major trends in wealth and income inequality (both globally, and in Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand) and the social work responses to increasing economic inequality.CONCLUSIONS: Resurgent wealth and income inequality has reached new crisis points in both countries but individualising analyses and programmes render most social work responses complicit with neoliberal governance. These responses do little to reduce inequality. Alternatives promoting economic equality can be found in radical social work approaches.IMPLICATIONS: At a minimum, effective radical responses to economic inequality must advocate critical social analyses in social work education and practice, including fostering practitioners' capacity for critical reflection, policy practice and political activism.

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Section: A Radical Social Work Curriculummentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Original Article Theoretical Researchmentioning

confidence: 99%

Rising wealth and income inequality in Australia and New Zealand: A radical social work critique and response

Morley

Ablett

2017

ANZSWJ

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“…A critical aspect of self-awareness includes the social worker's exploration and understanding of her/his own cultural social location and an examination of how one's own beliefs, biases and differences can either enhance or impede effective work with clients who are ethnically/racially different from themselves (AASW, 2010;IFSW, 2014;Morley, Macfarlane, & Ablett, 2014).…”

Section: Social Workers and Socio-cultural Locationmentioning

confidence: 99%

Hospitals and cultural diversity: social worker experiences and reflections

Testa

2017

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INTRODUCTION:Social work accrediting bodies mandate that workers analyse ways in which cultural values and structural forces shape client experiences and opportunities and that workers deconstruct mechanisms of exclusion and asymmetrical power relationships. This article reports the findings of a small-scale qualitative study of frontline hospital social workers' experiences and understanding of their mandate for culturally sensitive practice. METHODS:The study involved one-hour, semi-structured interviews with 10 frontline hospital social workers. The interviews sought to understand how frontline workers and their organisations understood culturally sensitive practice. Drawing on their own social cultural biographies, workers described organisational policy and practices that supported (or not) culturally sensitive practice. Narrative analysis was used to extract themes. FINDINGS:Data indicate that frontline hospital social workers demonstrated their professional mandate for culturally sensitive practice. Workers were firm in their view that working with the culturally other requires humility as well as a preparedness to value and engage the multiple cultural meanings that evolve in the patient-worker encounter. CONCLUSION:The findings highlight that mandating cultural sensitivity does not necessarily result in such practice. Cultural sensitivity requires an understanding of how cultural and social location may be implicated in sustaining the dominant cultural narrative and signals the need for workers, systems and organisations to facilitate appropriate learning experiences to explore culturally sensitive practice.

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“…Class-based domination and oppression are crucial to radical social workers (Lavalette, 2011;Mendes, 2017;Mullaly, 2007). Critical social work overlaps with but also differs from radical social work in its appreciation of post-modern and post-structural ideas in understanding how power, domination, control and resistance can operate (see Allan et al, 2003;Beddoe & Maidment, 2009;Briskman, 2007;Ife, 2012;Morley, MacFarlane, & Ablett 2014). Across the radical and critical social work spectrum, there is a shared interest in power relations and the power of language to reproduce social inequality; the differential impact of social inequality on particular groups; the goals of social transformation; and the possible forms of resistance, given contexts and resources.…”

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confidence: 99%

“…Critical, radical and structural social workers appreciate that unemployment, poverty and homelessness are debilitating social problems in many people's lives (Lavalette, 2011;Mullaly, 2007;Morley et al, 2014). Yet, these issues are often reduced to individual deficits, either by ignoring them altogether or diminishing their impact.…”

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confidence: 99%