Social Work Ideology Research Articles

Interprofessional collaboration and integration as experienced by social workers in health care

ABSTRACTInterprofessional collaboration in health care is gaining popularity. This secondary analysis focuses on social workers’ experiences on interprofessional teams. The data revealed that social workers perceived overall collaboration as positive. However, concerns were made apparent regarding not having the opportunity to work to full scope and a lack of understanding of social work ideology from other professionals. Both factors seem to impede integration of and collaboration with social workers on health care teams. This study confirms the need to encourage and support health care providers to more fully understand the foundation, role, and efficacy of social work on interprofessional teams.

Governmentality and the Politicisation of Social Work in China

This paper examines, from the governmentality perspective, how social work contributes to the recent political mission of the Chinese party state in constructing a harmonious society. A political rationality was constructed in response to new social and political challenges, and a new problematic of government was created, which portrayed personal failings as obstacles to social harmony. A humanistic idiom of ‘personcentredness’ was unprecedentedly employed in political discourse connected with the newly crafted government programmes for consolidating social harmony, in which social work was identified as a significant agent. From the governmentality point of view, social work is an appropriate technology of government. With rich knowledge in personal psychological functioning and sophisticated techniques in fostering interpersonal relationship, social work fits neatly into the prevailing problematic of personal failings. However, a clearly humanistic and liberal undertone of social work practice has posed a potential threat to the Chinese party state, in its capability to manipulate social work to its own advantages. Our initial findings point to the difficulties of an overarching control. Yet it requires more sophisticated analysis to conclude whether social work will eventually be co-opted into the authoritative control system, or whether the socialist regulatory machine will be encroached on by social work ideology.

Social work in a managed care environment.

Managed care has created a new service environment, eliminating distinctions that have sustained social work ideology and the profession throughout its history. This paper reviews important features of managed care, considers changes it has brought to practice ideology, the practitioner/client relationship, and the practice environment, including social work employment. The paper discusses the new opportunities, challenges and problems that have emerged with this approach. While social workers should not embrace managed care, they should not run from it or blindly oppose it. They need to aggressively pursue it, fighting its major drawbacks, while adapting to a competitive market place. Given the current managed care market, the social work profession is now in the right place, at the right time, with the right skills, and available at the right price. It must now take on a leadership role to maintain its competitive position, protect its clients and insure quality practice.

From political to personal? Changing social work ideology and practice in Hong Kong

From political to personal? Changing social work ideology and practice in Hong Kong

Interpretations of Stress in Institutions: The Cultural Production of Ambiguity and Burnout

This ethnographic study of interpretations of stress among hospital social workers reveals concrete ways in which institutional systems take form in the mundane actions and interpretations of individuals embedded in these systems. It also reveals how organizational cultures reflect and reinforce institutional conditions that have been negotiated in the interactions of individuals. Here, the institutional systems of medicine and social work come together in the everyday work of the social workers and result in two patterns of cultural dominance. Within these distinct types of culture emerge two forms of stress experience, including a dominant form, consistent with medical ideology, and a marginalized form, consistent with social work ideology. Some surprising patterns of interpretation emerge, including interpretations of ambiguity and burnout as normal, social, and desirable when the social work ideology is dominant. This institutional analysis of stress has theoretical, practical, and epistemological implications.

Alternative Criteria for Theory Evaluation

The development of a meaningful scientific framework for social work research requires an approach that reflects contemporary understandings of social scientific thought and is consistent with the values of the profession. The purpose of this article is to assist in the development of this framework by proposing new criteria for evaluating theories. These critiera are based on a social constructionist perspective of human beings and a responsiveness to social work ideology and practice.

Reflective Practice in Social Care

Social workers face difficulties in linking concepts, theories, and action because of the complexity of social work functions. Practitioners respond to ambiguous, changing situations in a variety of ways. In this exploratory study of exemplary British social workers, a cognitive process involving three categories of reflection was found to be characteristic. Guides to practice included applied social science information, generic practice models, and community social work ideology.

A Feminist World View Conceptual Framework

Feminism and social work ideology are shown to be closely related in principle, but the application of the ideology is questioned. A case is made for a “feminist world view” in social work to facilitate evaluation of the essence of content across curriculum, practice, programs, and policy making.

Informed Consent: For Whose Benefit?

The relationship of social work ideology to the ideological conflict between informed consent and medical technology relates directly to patient rights and self-determination. The struggle between modern medical technology and informed consent is discussed by examining its history, legal involvement, and a case illustration.

Self-determination Re-examined<xref ref-type="fn" rid="fn1"><sup>*</sup></xref>

The principle of client self-determination has been accorded a special place in nearly every consideration of the values underlying social casework practice. Various writers in their attempt to give the concept practical application have chosen alternative terminology, namely, client self direction, and client self-responsibility, yet the subject remains contro versial. Why should this be ? The reason seems to lie in the fact that the gulf between the theoretical definitions and their application in practice is often wide, and rife with inconsistencies. My aim is to show that the con cept has so many limitations that a serious re-examination of its position in professional social work ideology is essential. Biestek defines the principle of client self-determination as 'the practical recognition of the right and need of clients to freedom in making their own choices and decisions in the casework process'.1 One activity which he considers to be at variance with the principle is that of manipulation, by which he means the manoeuvring of the client 'to choose or decide modes of action in accordance with the caseworker's judgement in such a way that the client is unaware of the process ; or if he is aware of it, he feels moved about against his will'.2 Florence Hollis, to whose work on casework theory I shall make special reference, prefers the term 'self-direction' which, she says, denotes not the absolute independence implied by self-determination but rather 'the capa city to guide oneself through the maze of interactions that make up the pattern of life. This is the capacity that the worker seeks to enable the client to increase.' Hollis qualifies, as do most other writers, that self determination is a relative, not an absolute value: 'If the client is en dangering others or himself, it must be superseded by another, namely, the worker's responsibility to prevent suffering.'2 The basis of her view is in keeping with that of other writers and is concerned with the client's right to make his own choices. Except in extreme situations this right to self direction should not be interfered with by the caseworker.4 This emphasis on self-determination—implying the converse of a purely