Making sense of African thought in social work practice in Zimbabwe: Towards professional decolonisation

Abstract

The problem with current social work practice in Africa is that following its development in the West, it came to Africa grounded in values and ideologies stemming from capitalism, social Darwinism, the protestant ethic and individualism, all of which are un-African. Western ideas permeated social work institutions despite the ethical conflicts between traditional African cultures and values and the Western Judeo-Christian norms on which social work was based. Despite the political independence of most African countries, the profession has remained stuck in Western methods, values, principles and standards. Some of the traditional social work principles seem alien in African contexts. The social work principle of individualisation, for example, is un-African as it promotes individualism and yet life in Africa is communal. The content used in social work education and training in most institutions in Zimbabwe originated from elsewhere outside the African continent and as a result does not respect Africana values, beliefs, mores, taboos and traditional social protection systems. As it stands, social work in Zimbabwe in particular is a ‘mermaid’ profession based on Western theory but serving African clients. If social work in Africa is to decolonise, practitioners should have an understanding of and respect for African beliefs and practices. This is mainly because there is no clear separation between the material and the sacred among indigenous African people. This article therefore challenges African scholars to generate Afrocentric knowledge that should be imparted to African students for them to be effective in the African context. Afrocentric social work should be based on, improve and professionalise traditional helping systems that were in place prior to the coming of the Whites to the African continent.

Fostering awareness of self in the education of social work students by means of critical reflectivity

“…However, the self is not located only in the inner world of the identity of the individual, as often implied in Western thought, but is constantly constructed and reconstructed through the interrelations of self and social relationships and structures (Barnard, 2012:104-110). This point of departure aligns with the principle and value of the interconnectedness of all things, and with a collective identity and inclusive nature of the family structure in an African-centred worldview (Mabvurira, 2018), or the ubuntu notion of I am, because you are, that is, being a person through other people.…”

Making the ‘Local’ Visible in Social Work Education: Insights from Nigeria and Scotland on (Re)balancing and Contextualising Indigenous and International Knowledge

“…The concept of universal social work is not without its critics. Mabvurira (2020) problematises the incompatibility of juxtaposing the universal alongside indigenous social work. A one-sizefits-all approach leaves little space for the roots of indigenous knowledge to emerge in a world dominated by global, read Western, neoliberal knowledge and practices.…”

“…The second dimension of a paradigm shift to Afrocentric social work necessitates re-turning to, and re-owning African knowledge, traditions and culture and re-moving this from the shadow of colonialism. When 'life in Africa is communal ' Mabvurira (2020) argues, individualism is an uncomfortable fit and unsettles values and familiar ways of being. The communal aspect of African life distinguishes it from the tenets of Western societies that are characterised by individual freedom.…”

“…Currently, there is no equivalent Black or African 'knowledge system' that reflects the distinctiveness and uniqueness of African social issues and ways of doing and knowing social work. Mabvurira (2020) calls for African social work knowledge that talks to and is representative of social work at a regional level, at the same time as leaving space for local interpretation and diversity. In the Global North, a drive to decolonise curriculum is beginning to make students aware of different ways of understanding, knowing and doing social work.…”

Perceived factors that contribute to Black social work students’ failure of courses at university level: A case study of 3rd year social work students at a South African university

“…Regarding the social work profession, scholars such as Tamburro (2013) argues that without the decolonization of social work education, "social workers will be less prepared to encourage positive change" in their future practice (p. 1). Furthermore, Tamburro (2013) states that social work education continues to marginalize groups that were previously disadvantaged through colonialism; hence, the need to better prepare all social workers for work with disadvantaged groups by decolonizing social work education (Mabvurira, 2018).…”