‘I’m actually your worst nightmare’: intergenerational dialogues of social workers in search of the political

Abstract

ABSTRACT There is an ongoing debate about the depoliticisation of social work. In this debate, the finger of blame is pointed to the newest generation, as they are likely to be more inclined to have an individualised and controlling perspective on clients, and to be less involved in a social justice approach. In this article, we explore intergenerational dialogues as a non-formal approach to this debate. Intergenerational dialogues have a discursive value and are of direct significance for the participants. In some dialogues, differences between the newest and oldest generation were polarised. This led to stronger divisions and to a poorer understanding of the underlying political arguments. In other cases, a certain degree of rapprochement of sentiment between the generations was noticed. This was expressed in a greater understanding and acceptance of each other’s assumptions or manifested as a learning opportunities from one generation to the other. Therefore, social welfare organisations should engage in creating free space for discussions about the political nature of the profession. Intergenerational dialogues enable them to discuss the very distinct perspectives of different generations in an informal manner. Furthermore, intergenerational dialogues can be regarded as learning opportunities without a fixed educational agenda.