Social work practice and contextual systemic intervention: improbability of communication between social work and sociology

Abstract

Insofar as social work is not capable of critically analysing some of the classical theoretical frameworks on which it is based and the new ones that arise, it will run the risk of sliding into epistemological stagnation. From this premise, this article will first summarize the modern systems theory developed by Niklas Luhmann. Following that, we will describe the theoretical and normative foundations of contextual systemic intervention. This concept has been presented recently by some authors as an attempt to take Luhmann's sociological theory to the field of social intervention. Finally, we will assess the possibilities for the application of this proposal to social work. The conclusion obtained is that this proposal is insufficient for social work as its normative foundation is too lax. This is an example of how some differences in the nature of social work and sociology are an obstacle to a closer relationship between the two.