Resisting neoliberalism in social work education: learning, teaching, and performing human rights and social justice in England and Spain

Abstract

In an increasingly complex, globalized world, many of the problems confronting social workers are rooted in structural inequalities created or deepened by uncontrolled neoliberal market mechanisms. Yet neoliberal political agendas dominating the global order encourage individualistic models of social work intervention, characterized by managerialism and deprofessionalisation. Critiquing the impact of neoliberalism, those aligned with critical and radical social work traditions have highlighted the use of narrow technicist interventions to disguise the root social causes of people´s suffering and contradicting values of human rights (HR) and social justice (SJ) that lie at the heart of social work as a profession. For social work students to locate themselves confidently within HR and SJ frameworks, they must experience HR and SJ as central to their education. This article draws on doctoral research exploring how HR and SJ are operationalized in social work education in England and Spain. A web survey of social work educators and students was complemented by interviews with educators in both countries. Findings revealed key opportunities for learning, teaching and performing HR and SJ in social work education. We discuss each in turn, reflecting briefly on the implications for enhancing the profile of HR and SJ in social work education.

Beyond “Glittering Hope”: Introducing Max Stirner’s Unique Possibilities to Social Work

“…Social workers have rightly critiqued individualism; yet something might be lost when alternative visions and counter-hegemonic practices are presented as antidotes (Nichols & Cooper, 2011). Collective thinking and action are interpreted as panaceas to neoliberal individualism, and I do not entirely disagree (Martínez Herrero & Charnley, 2021). It is meaningful that the professional messaging of social work has embraced the importance of community, structural analysis, and collective engagement; however, to some extent, this narrative is devoid of specificity and has come at the expense of discussing (and valuing) localized forms of resistance.…”

Sobre la legitimidad de la intervención social

“…Es en este sentido que la mayor amenaza ética para la legitimidad de la intervención social es la implantación del régimen neoliberal a partir del último tercio del siglo XX. En el trabajo social se refleja en una creciente tendencia a la individualización en las actuaciones profesionales (Martínez-Herrero & Charnley, 2021). Al respecto, las posibilidades de situar lo social en el reconocimiento enunciativo de otros, se reduce en "una sociedad individualista y no emancipada" (Brown y Almeyda-Sarmiento, 2021, p. 32).…”

Thirty Years of Human Rights Study in the Web of Science Database (1990–2020)

“…In addition, “intersectionality” is discussed as a means by which to assist in integration theory and practice from different areas of social justice [ 106 , 107 , 108 ]. Other concerns are raised through the “neoliberalism” cluster, which discusses resistance to neoliberalism in social work education [ 109 ], and the “climate change” theme that represents the concern with the environmental pillar of sustainable development for the wellbeing of the population and the future of humanity.…”