‘Enjoy poverty’: introducing a rhetorical approach to critical reflection and reflexivity in social work education

Abstract

ABSTRACT The concepts of critical reflection and reflexivity currently occupy a prominent space in social work education. Nevertheless, there is a need for more evidence on how these concepts are conceptualised and enacted in concrete social work teaching contexts. In this paper, we develop a rhetorical approach to critical and reflexive social work education building on the concepts of terministic screens, trained incapacities and rhetorical listening. We explain how we operationalised our approach in an educational project where social work students critically engage with an artistic documentary on poverty. Based on the qualitative analysis of eight reflective group discussions, we identify three critical moves in students’ rhetorical reflections: deconstructing problem definitions of poverty and their performativity, negotiating multiplicity, and reflecting critically on critical reflection. Drawing on our research findings, we argue that the rhetorically aware social work professional takes the stance of a researcher, embraces ambiguity and positions oneself as a political actor. Moreover, rhetorical pedagogies offer students a ‘social work education’ that discloses different conceptions of critical reflection in work education as rhetorical constructs as well. We conclude the paper with recommendations for educators that wish to engage in a similar pedagogical approach in their social work classroom.