Anti-Oppressive Research in Social Work: A Preliminary Definition

Abstract

In comparison with other helping professions, social work claims to embrace a very distinctive mission: to oppose the roots and effects of social oppression. This article examines social work research from an anti-oppressive social work perspective. It argues that in order to match the liberating mission of the profession, social work research should defy the dominant traditions of social science research. The paper first outlines a definition of anti-oppressive research in social work and then suggests a relevant set of criteria for assessing it. A case study is described and analysed according to these criteria, followed by a discussion of some ethical and methodological issues involved in the development of a more inclusive inquiry in social work.