On Multifaceted Commonality: Theories of Social Pedagogy in Germany

Abstract

This paper makes an attempt to interpret the German debate on social pedagogy as a multifaceted perspective that, whilst diverse in its assumptions about what social pedagogy is, also shows a striking commonality. To exemplify this, we intentionally focus on dominant theories of social pedagogy in Germany, which aim to directly answer the question of what social pedagogy is. However, in attempting to contribute to a clearer understanding of social pedagogy as a theoretical phenomenon, it is not sufficient to describe these theories and the various ideas of social pedagogy they generate. Instead, it is essential to deconstruct how these theories reify their numerous assumptions on social pedagogy. We will therefore argue that it is worthwhile not to focus too narrowly on what is reified as social pedagogy in dominant theories in Germany. Instead, we suggest a careful analysis of how social pedagogy is commonly theorized. Our hypothesis is that, in Germany, prominent theories of social pedagogy reify social pedagogy by means of a distinctively ontological mode of reification. This mode we see as a common pattern of dominant theories of social pedagogy in Germany, regardless of the different objects of social pedagogy produced by these theories. Beyond a mere critique, we intend to also explain this mode at the end of our paper and raise the question whether it might point to a broader concept of how theories of social pedagogy and social work are usually generated in Germany and beyond.

The spirit of social pedagogy: the alternative theory base of German child welfare

“…(Dollinger, 2008: 12) Reflexive Sozialpädagogik is associated with theorists with ties to the late Hans-Uwe Otto, as is a further theory cluster: German 'service orientation' theory. Both share a focus on how social pedagogy is 'made' in co-production with the person being helped (Sandermann and Neumann, 2014;2018), and both commonly utilise the term 'subject' to describe the mündig citizen. All three approaches (lifeworld orientation, reflexive social pedagogy and the service orientation) are theories considering professionalisation approaches for German practice.…”

The development of social care work in Germany and the US: theorising the result of cultural understandings and policy responses to concepts of ‘individualism’ during the nineteenth century

“…As Sandermann and Neumann (2014) noted, development of social work and social pedagogy has been occurring in Germany for more than 120 years as an attempt to 'react to the social issues and upheavals of the 19th century by means of a pedagogical approach and with reference to educational understandings' (p. 16). Sandermann and Neumann later refer to a '"conceptual framework" for social pedagogy on the one hand, and a "practical science" of social pedagogy on the other' (p. 22), illuminating a clear relationship with modern social pedagogical practice in Germany as related directly to Hans Thiersch's theories of lifeworld orientation.…”

“…11 While this article makes no attempts to theorise the work of social pedagogy, it recognises the term 'social pedagogy' as used in Sandermann and Neumann (2014) as encompassing many of the same frameworks for social care work in general to which I frequently refer.…”

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“…V druhej fáze sme tieto strategickým výberom dopĺňali o ďalšie publikácie, odkazované v kľúčových štúdiách, paralelne sme uskutočňovali priebežnú rešerš k sociálnej pedagogike ako vede v internetovom vyhľadávači. Medzi kľúčové zdroje ohľadom Nemecka patrila štúdia , Sandermann & Neumann (2014), Patterson et al (2019); Británie -Boateng (2013), Jones (2012), Hatton (2013); Ruska - Mudrik (2000), Gurjanova (2014), Romm (2016); Španielska -Úcar (2016). Zároveň sme zakomponovali aj niekoľko prehľadových štúdií (najmä Lorenzová, 2017, Kraus, 2019.…”