Towards a ‘New Politics’ of Social Work

Gray, Mel; Webb, Stephen A.

doi:10.1007/978-1-137-32712-3_1

Cited by 56 publications

(57 citation statements)

References 31 publications

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“…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%

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: 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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“…Second, social work commitments have their origins in struggles between human beings as to the means by which rights and wellbeing were progressively acknowledged or achieved. Throughout the history of the profession, social work has been committed to promote human rights, social justice and address the root causes of poverty, oppression and inequalities (Gray & Webb, 2013a).…”

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confidence: 99%

“…What imaginary or ideology drives social workers and their projects? These questions immediately establish a simple analytical agenda for social work to assume a political stance (Duarte, 2016;Gray & Webb, 2013a;McKendrick & Webb, 2014). However, Hay (2006, p. 81) reminds us that "no political analysis can proceed in the absence of assumptions about political ontology".…”

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confidence: 99%

“…McKendrick and Webb (2014) acknowledge that the aspects of social structure and agency justify the need for reshaping political ideology in social work. Likewise, Gray and Webb (2013a) emphasise the need for "redefining the project of the Left in social work in terms of a 'radicalisation' of theory and practice" (McKendrick & Webb, 2014, p. 358).…”

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confidence: 99%

“…The answer is epistemology. The point is that the claims of social workers are shaped by manifestations of a working and applied ideology, and they embody a preference for certain political explanations THEORETICAL RESEARCH ORIGINAL ARTICLE (Gray & Webb, 2013a;Hay, 2006;McKendrick & Webb, 2014). As Hay (2006, p. 83) observed, "epistemological assumptions are invariably ontologically loaded."…”

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confidence: 99%

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Reshaping political ideology in social work: A critical perspective

Duarte

2017

ANZSWJ

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INTRODUCTION:The article contends that social work is politically constructed, that its values, principles and commitments are deeply shaped by ideology through the political dimension at all levels of social work intervention, and that social work needs not only to embrace, but also to reshape its political ideology, discourse and political movements. APPROACH:It is argued that the articulation of social work values and principles are an expression of ideology, and that political ontology of social workers' lives precedes their epistemological and methodological choices. From this premise, the article claims that socialism informs progressive social work values, and that a materialist analysis can influence our understanding of social problems and social relations within deregulated capitalist societies. CONCLUSIONS:Firstly, this article synthesises the Marxist approach of ideology and its relations with ideology in social work. Secondly, it draws out the key insights about the so-called "radical" or "structural" perspective in social work, and the commitments and challenges of its advocates. Finally, it explores and proposes insights on the political ideology of social work for the 21st century. KEYWORDS

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Critical Reflexivity and Social Work Practice

Morley

2015

International Encyclopedia of the Social &Amp; Behavioral Sciences

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Towards a ‘New Politics’ of Social Work

Cited by 56 publications

References 31 publications

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

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

Reshaping political ideology in social work: A critical perspective

Critical Reflexivity and Social Work Practice

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