Social work, Max Weber and ethical irrationality

Abstract

AbstractThe tension between organisational demands and the substantive aspects of social work practice can pose a significant challenge for social workers because their professional positioning places them in the middle of what appear to be conflicting and irreconcilable demands, especially in contexts where organisational accountability seems to dominate practice. Although the implications of this tension have been discussed within the social work literature, the specific characteristics have not received much attention. This article explores this tension by drawing on Max Weber’s concept of ‘ethical irrationality’. Ethical irrationality refers to the historical and cultural conditions that have made way for the tension between formal and substantive rationality and how these qualities have the potential to shape and even distort ethical conduct. In an ethically irrational world, ethical conduct involves risk and uncertainty and, for ethical agents, this often means resorting to using risky means to achieve ethical ends. This issue is particularly relevant for social workers in statutory contexts where professional ethics require practitioners to engage with and challenge organisational norms and procedures. A conceptual tool aimed to assist practitioners in managing this tension is developed.