Self-determination: Lessons to be Learned from Social Work Practice in India

Abstract

Self-determination is a controversial principle in social work practice. On the one hand it is accepted as being central to social work and stems from the broader philosophical issues of autonomy and respect for the individual. On the other hand, there are many doubts about its implications for practice. This article examines how the Western social work principle of self-determination is influenced by cultural beliefs and expectations in India. Twenty-six social workers participated in a qualitative study on the influence of culture on casework practice in Bombay, India. Open-ended questions and case studies were used to examine how culture specific problems were handled and how workers interpreted and used some of the principles of social work practice. Social workers believed that Indian clients expected to be guided in a therapeutic relationship. Further, clients were generally apathetic and fatalistic about circumstances in their lives. Indian social workers came across as being maestros at bridging east-west differences. They subtly fulfilled social and cultural expectations and at the same time enabled clients to assume enough autonomy to handle their own problems.