Concept Of Social Work Research Articles

Freedom of Choice and Poverty Alleviation

The Capability Approach (henceforth CA) views poverty as a multidimensional phenomenon that is not only characterised by lows levels of achievement in the various dimensions but also by a restricted opportunity to choose among different ways of life. The CA thus puts a lot of emphasis on (limited) freedom of choice as a crucial aspect of poverty. If poverty is seen in this way there are two ways to improve the situation of the poor: by broadening the set of opportunities open to them or by strengthening their ability to choose. The paper concentrates on the latter. Although the CA discusses several possibilities for strengthening the ability to choose it does not explicitly consider the role of enhancing the capability of choosing as a means of poverty alleviation. The paper summarizes which circumstances are seen in the CA as suitable for strengthening freedom of choice. Namely, the paper discusses the market as an institution that trains the ability to choose, democracy as a political institution that is based on freedom of choice and participatory methods as an attempt to build explicitly on freedom of choice of the participants. Two shortcomings in the theoretical conceptualization of freedom of choice in the CA are identified by discussing these institutions and circumstances: first, the interplay between social structures and individual agency is not modelled in much detail within the CA. Second, the CA does not provide an explicitly temporal model of agency. The paper takes a closer look at these shortcomings from a sociological perspective since the questions they raise are core questions of sociology. The problems are intertwined. In order to tackle the problem of social embedding in the CA one needs to introduce time and processes as well. Sociological approaches show how social structures evolve from the interaction of individuals. The paper gives an example of how sociological concepts of this interaction can be used for drawing a model of social work for strengthening the agency of the poor. The paper proceeds as follows: first the view of poverty as capability deprivation is presented. The second section gives an overview of the areas in which the CA discusses the strengthening of individual choice: the market, democracy and participatory projects. The third section elaborates on the shortcomings of the CA identified in the preceding section from a sociological perspective and introduces a concept of social work developed in a similar theoretical context. The conclusion summarizes the lessons and outlines further lines of research.

Teaching Critical Reflection: A Tool for Transformative Learning in Social Work?

In an Australian Bachelor of Social Work degree, critical reflection is a process explicitly taught in a fourth year subject to students who have returned from their first field placement experience in agencies delivering social work programmes. The purpose of teaching critical reflection is to enable social work students to become autonomous and critical thinkers who can reflect on society, the role of social work and social work practices. The way critical reflection is taught in this fourth year social work unit relates closely to the aims of transformative learning. Transformative learning aims to assist students to become autonomous thinkers. Specifically, the critical reflection process taught in this subject aims to assist students to recognise their own and other people's frames of reference, to identify the dominant discourses circulating in making sense of their experience, to problematise their taken-for -granted ‘lived experience’, to reconceptualise identity categories, disrupt assumed causal relations and to reflect on how power relations are operating. Critical reflection often draws on many theoretical frameworks to enable the recognition of current modes of thinking and doing. In this paper, we will draw primarily on how post-structural theories, specifically Foucault's theorising, disrupt several taken-for-granted concepts in social work.

On Becoming a Group Worker

Although agency-based adult English as a Second Language (ESL) classes provide the language skills that new immigrants and refugees seek, these classes often miss an opportunity to address their social and emotional needs. The author of this article, a second-year MSW student, traces how his approach to teaching ESL evolved as a result of studying group work. In this article, the author demonstrates how his new knowledge of social group work concepts (i.e., pregroup planning, stage theory, and mutual aid) enabled him to transform his ESL classroom into a group-learning environment where language skills were developed and social-emotional needs were met.

Learning to Write and Writing to Learn Social Work Concepts: Application of Writing Across the Curriculum Strategies and Techniques to a Course for Undergraduate Social Work Students

Although writing is of great importance to effective social work practice, many students entering social work education programs experience serious academic difficulties related to writing effectively and thinking critically. The purpose of this article is to present an introductory social work course that integrates Writing Across the Curriculum pedagogical strategies into the social work curriculum. A brief description of Writing Across the Curriculum is provided, and teaching techniques used in the course, including reading and writing assignments, classroom writing instruction, testing, peer review, writing consultation, and grading rubrics, are described in detail.

Towards a borderless social work: Reconsidering notions of international social work

This article explores varied ideas describing the concept of international social work. Looking at international social work from the idea of glocalization, we explore how international social work is figuratively embodied in migrations. How we see ourselves in international social work not only forms a dialogue that problematizes power relations in the international social arena but also provides an instructive venture into considerations of borderless social work.

The private capitals social responsibility role in the sustainable human resources development with reference to Egypt

The private capital’s social responsibility concept refers to the existence of implicit contract which determines the rights and responsibilities of businessmen towards the society. It is notable that the private sector’s social responsibility concept is deep rooted and well-established to the extent that it could be sometimes misinterpreted as beneficiary work concept or public relations. This research is aim at identifying the concept and importance of social responsibility, its various components and forms with focus on private capital’s role in bearing social responsibility. It also aims to clarify the relationship between social capital and the realization of sustainable development. This research also handled the role of private sectors and their contribution in Egypt in the field of social responsibility and the potential benefits that the working companies in Egypt could gain through the contribution to social capital. Finally, the research reviews other countries experiences in the field of social responsibility and its benefit in order to introduce the necessary recommendation for activating the Egyptian private sector’s role in bearing the social responsibility. There is also no clear organization of the private sector’s work mechanisms as the private sector’s contribution is still less than what is expected. In spite of the latest development of the social work concept, it does not exceed being individual initiatives because of the absence of the organizing vision and the consistency among the needs of the society. This research relies on the descriptive method to describe, interpret and analyze the relationship between social capital and the realization of sustainable development in Egypt. The study examines the following hypotheses: There is a close relationship between social capital and sustainable development. Key words: Private capital social responsibility, sustainable human resources development, social responsibility in Egypt, international experiences.

Fundamental Contradictions in Cultural Competence

Cultural competence (CC) is considered highly relevant to social work practice with clients belonging to ethnic and racial minority groups, as the burgeoning literature and creation of practice standards on CC attest. However, examination of the conceptual underpinnings of CC reveals several major anomalies. The authors argue that several aspects of CC contradict central social work concepts or are at odds with current, standard social work practice. These contradictions extend to the epistemological foundations of CC and the rights and dignity of the individual. To further stress the conceptual tensions at the heart of CC, the authors incorporate recent philosophical work addressing collective identities and group rights. The question of whether culturally competent practice is achievable is also addressed. The authors urge academicians and practitioners to thoroughly examine the theoretical and ethical bases of CC because of their highly important ramifications for social work practice.

Advances and Challenges in Developing Research Capacity in Social Work

Significant improvements in research capacity have been realized in social work in the past two decades. Investments by federal entities such as the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and concentrated efforts by deans, directors, and faculty members have led to important advances in research infrastructure and capacity in many social work programs. These developments have contributed to historic improvements in the scope and quality of social work research. Despite recent accomplishments, however, considerable variation exists in infrastructure support and research capacity across social work programs. For example, whereas some schools and universities have developed impressive internal supports for faculty research, other programs have struggled to simply create the culture necessary to address deficiencies in research capacity. Demands for new knowledge about the etiology, prevention, and treatment of individual and social problems as well as growing interest in evidence-based policy and practice suggest that the time has come to evaluate recent advances and identify the persistent challenges associated with enhancing infrastructure support and research capacity in social work. ADVANCES IN RESEARCH CAPACITY Research and knowledge development activities vary considerably across the continuum of social work undergraduate and graduate education. On one hand, well-established graduate programs located in research-oriented universities generally value research and strongly encourage faculty members to pursue external funding. Conversely, many undergraduate and graduate social work programs recognize the importance of research but place greater emphasis on the teaching and practice missions associated with the profession. Regardless of where a program might fall in this continuum, most educators would agree that nearly all schools of social work have increased their attention to topics of research capacity. A variety of approaches have been used in the past two decades to increase infrastructure supports and research capacity in social work. For example, some schools have pursued an ambitious program of federal research sponsorship through entities such as NIH, the National Institute of Justice, the Department of Health and Human Services, and others. NIH has been particularly responsive to social work as evidenced by the creation and funding of eight social work research centers in the 1990s. In recent years, NIH has continued its commitment to the field by developing and disseminating a social work research agenda (NIH, 2003) and by issuing a call for proposals to investigate the effects of theoretically and empirically based social work practice on health outcomes for people experiencing medical and behavioral problems (NIH, 2005). Released in 2005, Research on Social Work Practice and Concepts in Health (PA-06-081) is important because it publicly acknowledges the contribution of social work practice to the enhancement and efficacy of interventions targeting health problems. Significantly, the language in the PA goes beyond the proposition that social work strategies are mere enhancements to existing medical services and interventions. The existence of a social work knowledge base that offers unique and significant clinical expertise to interdisciplinary intervention efforts with client groups across multiple systems of care is clearly recognized in this announcement. Advances in federally funded social work research are perhaps best measured by the number of NIH awards made to social work investigators. It is important to note that 621 grants have been awarded to social work researchers since 1993 (Corvo, Zlotnik, & Chen, 2008; Institute for the Advancement of SocialWork Research [IASWR], 2008). Awards have ranged from a low of 18 in 1993 to more than 60 funded grants in 1998. Reflecting current economic constraints at the federal level, only 24 grants were funded in 2007. …

Building Indigenous Australian Social Work

An Indigenous social work guided by Indigenous Australians’ participation and experience that has, at its heart, human rights and social justice is in its infancy in Australia. The present paper continues a discussion on Indigenous Australian social work theory and practice developments being generated by those working in this field. Aspects of this “praxis” include recognition of the effects of invasion, colonialism, and paternalistic social policies upon social work practice with Indigenous communities; recognition of the importance of self-determination; contemporary Indigenous and non-Indigenous colleagues working in partnership; the impact of contemporary racist and neocolonialist values; and rethinking contemporary social work values and practices. There is discussion of appropriation and reinterpretation of social work concepts, incorporation of international and local Indigenous theory, and the framing of social work by Indigenous Australians’ views and values.

"Orientation" as a Sensitizing Concept in Social Work

Studying institutional discourses between clients and social workers could strengthen reflections on social work practices by asking: What definitions of the situation do the partners talk from? What content do the partners wish to communicate and could there be considerable differences between the two of them? Why are the partners using specific forms of talk and what does that meta-communicate? Are they developing working agreements and tuning into each other or are communication complicated by contributors speaking from diverse footing and frames? This article explores some of these issues.

Exploring the Meaning of Crossing and Culture: An Empirical Understanding from Practitioners' Everyday Experience

Despite the large amount of literature on cross-cultural social work practice, the meanings of culture and crossing have not been empirically examined. This article presents the findings of a study involving 30 social work practitioners in a Canadian metropolitan city. Grounded in the lived experiences of the practitioners, at least three different modes of crossing are identified. The findings also indicate that many practitioners tend to define culture as a complex whole, but not in a deterministic manner. Interwoven with race and ethnicity, culture interacts with an individual's preferences and environment. The author contends that to integrate theory and practice, we need to examine how frontline practitioners understand some important but takenfor- granted social work concepts.

Voluntary Social Work as a Paradox

This article is written as an invitation to sociologists to rethink the concept of voluntary social work. Rather than comprehensive theory, it is an essay seeking to explore new ways of perceiving voluntary social effort. Voluntary work has traditionally been defined according to whether or not the subject of the study is organized and unpaid. However, these formal measures overlook the fact that much voluntary work is provided by people who do not fit the categories, and they fail to recognize the special nature of voluntary social work. In this article, we employ the works of the German sociologist Niklas Luhmann to examine what happens when voluntary social work is constructed as a particular form of care work. In this perspective, all care work is formed in the context of opposing expectation structures, and voluntary work is no exception. On the one hand, we have the expectation structures of the persons involved in care; on the other, the expectations of the administrative system and the political, juridical and economic layers of organization. Our assertion is that voluntary social work is fundamentally paradoxical in nature, and is formed as an impossible compromise between interactional and organizational logic. The question is not how to resolve or dissolve this paradox, but how to render it productive as a certain tension in the opportunity for voluntary work. Before we elaborate this thesis further, however, we briefly outline the background of social work and the reason why, today, it is followed especially closely by the state. This means looking at the way in which the couplings between welfare practice and voluntary work have traditionally been defined. While the article refers only to Danish social policy, very similar tendencies can be observed in many other Western welfare societies (see, for example, Wolch, 1990; Smith and Lipsky, 1993; Eikaas, 2001; Lynn, 2002; Reisch and Sommerfeld, 2003).

The NIH R03 Award

Social workers in academic and agency settings have the opportunity to do funded research using the National Institutes of Health (NIH) R03 small grant mechanism designed for discrete, clearly defined projects that can be completed within a 1- to 2-year time period with limited funding. This article describes the R03 mechanism and provides a guide for the developmental steps in writing a successful grant application. It identifies the recent NIH program announcements titled Research on Social Work Practice and Concepts in Health as an extraordinary opportunity for social work researchers seeking R03 funding. The R03 is ideal for new researchers, and the experience of one of the authors illustrates the decision-making and skill-development processes involved in submitting a successful grant proposal.

The strengths perspective: proving "my strengths" and '"it work".

The strengths perspective: proving "my strengths" and '"it work".

A Call for Social Work Research from the National Institutes of Health

Previous editorials in this journal have noted the importance of expanding the capacity and improving the quality of social work research. Topics discussed in these editorials have addressed the nature and rigor of social work research, interdisciplinary collaboration, and research infrastructure in schools of social work (Fortune, 1999; Jenson, 2005; Proctor, 2002, 2003). Although improvements have occurred in each of these areas, considerable work remains in the quest to increase the impact and status of social work research. A new development in meeting this goal emerged recently with the release of a program announcement from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) aimed at advancing social work research (see http://grants1.nih.gov/grants/guide/pa-files/PA-06-081.html). NIH SEEKS PROPOSALS FOR EMPIRICAL RESEARCH ON SOCIAL WORK PRACTICE In December 2005, the NIH Office of Behavioral and Social Sciences Research (OBSSR) released a program announcement (PA) with three award mechanisms targeting social work research. Research on Social Work Practice and Concepts in Health is a call for proposals to investigate the effects of theoretically and empirically based social work practice on health outcomes for people experiencing medical and behavioral problems (PA-06-081). The PA is the product of efforts led by the Social Work Research Working Group, a team composed of representatives from NIH Institutes and Centers charged by Congress to develop a social work research agenda across NIH. In NIH Plan for Social Work Research (NIH, 2003), the group identified nine recommendations to enhance social work research. One proposed a new initiative by NIH to solicit empirical studies examining the effects of social work services and interventions on medical and behavioral outcomes for people receiving assistance in health care and nonspecialty health care settings (in schools, social services agencies, or correctional facilities, for example).The Research on Social Work Practice and Concepts in Health announcement is an outcome of this recommendation. This new NIH announcement is important for several reasons. The PA publicly acknowledges the contribution of social work practice to the enhancement and efficacy of medical interventions targeting health problems. Significantly, the language in the PA goes beyond the proposition that social work strategies are mere enhancements to existing services and interventions. The existence of a social work knowledge base that offers unique and significant clinical expertise to interdisciplinary intervention efforts with client groups across multiple systems of care is clearly recognized. Specifically, the PA calls for investigations that apply empirically derived knowledge of efficacious interdisciplinary and coordinated intervention strategies aimed at improving health outcomes. Finally, the initiative seeks to advance sound scientific studies that will develop and test innovative social work approaches to ameliorating adverse health conditions. The need for at least four types of social work investigations are highlighted in the announcement: (1) studies that assess the effectiveness of existing social work services and interventions on health outcomes; (2) investigations to develop and test the effects of innovative social work interventions on client functioning; (3) proposals that aim to improve health outcomes through interventions delivered in nontraditional health care settings; and (4) studies that examine effective program implementation strategies in communities. The initiative emphasizes collaborative and interdisciplinary projects based on a public health framework. The standard R01, R03, and R21 NIH award mechanisms are identified in the PA. OPPORTUNITIES AND CHALLENGES The NIH Research on Social Work Practice and Concepts in Health PA gives long-overdue recognition to the unique and shared strengths of social work intervention. …

História do trabalho social: nascimento e expansão do setor associativo sanitário e social (França: 1901 - 2001)

Sem direitos civis, sem direito a voto, sem a possibilidade de filiar-se a um sindicato e com dificuldades para militar nos partidos políticos, as mulheres encontraram na Lei de 1° de julho de 1901, sobre a liberdade de associação, uma brecha para ingressar com toda a força na cidadania. Desde a promulgação da Lei de 1901, elas criaram numerosas associações sanitárias e sociais, e foram pioneiras na constituição do conceito de serviço social. Elas fizeram tudo o que foi possível para criar novos empregos, o que contribuiu para a participação exclusivamente feminina no setor. Graças à abertura progressiva das profissões, as populações femininas, alvo das atividades dessas associações, conseguiram inserir-se no mundo do trabalho médico-social. Nos anos 1970, o setor sanitário e social expandiu-se como nunca e manteve a estrutura associativa. Nessas associações, são as mulheres que ocupam a maior parte das vagas, mas se trata de empregos pouco qualificados. Conforme o setor vai se institucionalizando, as mulheres vêem seus empregos escapando de suas mãos para passar para as dos homens. Esse setor associativo hoje em dia é amplamente utilizado pelos poderes públicos para pôr em prática políticas sociais, mas também para lutar contra todas as formas de pobreza e atuar diante de situações de urgência.

Exploring Tongan Social Work

This article discusses two Tongan social work concepts - fakafekau'aki(connecting) and fakatokilalo(humility) - that have emerged out of qualitative research exploring the practice of Tongan social workers in New Zealand. It is argued that social work is socially constructed and that positive social change for indigenous and migrant groups in western countries requires the utilization of relevant cultural concepts as foundations for practice. The use of Tongan concepts such as fakafekau'akiand fakatokilaloimply Tongan-centric conceptualizations of professionalism and relationship in social work. Finally, it is noted that these concepts must be viewed holistically in relation to the lived reality of Tongans.

Psychosocial Aspects of Pain Management

To have a significant impact in the arena of pain management, social workers must be able to articulate social work values and concepts clearly, productively, and compellingly as assets in overcoming identified barriers to pain relief. A literature review concerning vulnerable populations, identified barriers, and related social policies explores alternative perspectives that social workers can bring to a multi-disciplinary team's efforts to improve the delivery of pain management technology. The article offers a beginning framework for discussions about the profession's potential contributions. The goal of these discussions is to contribute to encouraging a more pronounced involvement of social workers in pain management issues.

Practical and Academic Aspects of Social Work Development in Lithuania

The main objective of the article is to present the development of social work in Lithuania. The conception of social work and the social work definition problems are discussed in the first part. The absence of general social work theory and multfifunctionality of social work practice are obstacles for the unified conception of social work. The development of social work profession is discussed in the second part of the article. The roots of social work are the pseudoaltruistic behavior of animals and the proper altruistic behavior of hominids. There are eight stages of social work development in Lithuania according to author: GDL and the Union with Poland, period of Tsarist occupation, interwar independence, Models of Soviet social security, Formal acceptance of the notion of social work, professionalisation of social work, professional social work, social euro-integration. The contextual factors of social work in Lithuania are discussed in the third part of the article. The main contextual factors of social work are: socio-economical situation, legislative basis, international context, social service givers. The research in social work and the future development of social work discipline in Lithuania is discussed in the last part.

New Labour, Welfare and Social Work and Devolution: A View from Scotland

The significant date in Scotland is not 1997, with the advent of New Labour, but 1999 with the coming of the Scottish Parliament. To understand this you have to be aware of the long-standing Scottish tradition of asserting its difference. This is cle arly manifest in the Scottish legal and educational systems and in a brave attempt, in the Social Work (Scotland) Act 1968, to promote inclusive welfare services driven by a broad conception of social work. Community development, the energetic pro motion of welfare rights, local planning and job creation, along with casework, all had a place under the umbrella of social work. In their heyday, social work departments were the pride of many Councils and in the Scottish Labour heartlands the coming of local or national Conservative administration seemed to make little difference. When, after many years, I came back to Scotland to set up the Social Work Research Centre at Stirling University in 1986 it was immediately clear to me that Mrs Thatcher's writ did not run in Scotland. Indeed, her own Scottish Ministers would pursue policies, with the strong backing of the Scottish Civil Service, which were the opposite of those of their English counterparts. A small but significant example was the setting of Scottish National Standards for Community Service which took account of the findings of the Social Work Research Centre which showed that Community Service is most effective when it combines clear and con sistent expectations and sanctions, with constructive work and individual help (Mclver, 1992). The Home Office at that time was calling for a more punitive regime of public works. My strong impression, then and now, was of a greater public ownership of wel fare in Scotland than in England. In middle class and professional circles you do not