Needed: A Simple Definition of Social Work

Social Work ◽  
1981 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rodrigo Azocar González

RESUMENEl presente artículo es fruto de una investigación de largo alcance que busca generar discusión en torno a los desafíos contemporáneos del Trabajo Social en la construcción de alternativas de intervención social en contextos de diversidad sexual en Chile. La crisis de la norma heterosexual refleja una contemporaneidad marcada por la visibilidad de los grupos históricamente excluidos, reflejo de la sensibilización y cuestionamiento de una masculinidad dominante intrínsecamente exclusora e inalcanzable, como también de procesos de posicionamiento político y cultural de un colectivo presente, pero hasta hace poco invisibilizado, en nuestro país. A través de técnicas etnográficas y la incorporación del concepto de mercado como vehículo de visibilidad, el trabajo propone ideas coherentes con la construcción de una praxis transdisciplinar que responde a la nueva definición de Trabajo Social, en discusión a nivel mundial, como de los procesos de cuestionamiento y mudanza ciudadanos revitalizados en la última década.Palabras clave: Intervención social, diversidad sexual, trabajo social, desafíos. Diversidade sexual e intervenção social: reflexões a partir do Trabalho SocialRESUMOO presente artigo é o resultado de uma pesquisa de longo alcance que procura gerar discussão em relação aos desafios contemporâneos do Trabalho Social na construção de alternativas de intervenção social em contextos de diversidade sexual no Chile. A crise da norma heterossexual reflete uma contemporaneidade marcada pela visibilidade dos grupos historicamente excluídos, reflexo da conscientização e questionamento de uma masculinidade dominante intrinsecamente que exclui e que se apresenta como inatingível, bem como processos de posicionamento político e cultural de um coletivo presente, mas até recentemente invisível em nosso país. Através de técnicas etnográficas e incorporação do conceito de mercado como veículo de visibilidade, o trabalho propõe ideias coerentes com a construçãode uma prática transdisciplinar que respondam à nova definição de TrabalhoSocial, discutido mundialmente, como dos processos de questionamento emudança cidadã revitalizados na última década.Palavras-chave: intervenção social, diversidade sexual, trabalho social,desafios. Sexual diversity and social intervention: Reflections fromsocial workABSTRACTThe current article is the result of a wider research that seeks to generatediscussion about the actual challenges of social work in the constructionof alternatives of social intervention on sexual diversity contexts in Chile.The crisis of the heterosexual regulation reflects a contemporaneity markedby the visibility of the historically excluded groups, as a reflection of thesensitivity and questioning of a dominant manhood inherently excluder andunreachable, as political and positioning processes of a current group, butuntil recently hidden in our country. Through ethnographic technics and theincorporation of the concept of market as a vehicle of visibility, this worksproposes ideas coherent with the construction of a cross-curricular praxisthat responds to the new definition of social work, globally discussed, as wellas the questioning processes and citizen movements during last decade.Keywords: Social intervention, sexual diversity, social work, challenges


2019 ◽  
Vol 46 (10) ◽  
pp. 1234-1246
Author(s):  
Lambert K. Engelbrecht ◽  
Abigail Ornellas

Purpose Within a neoliberal environment, financial vulnerability of households has become an increasing challenge and there is a requirement of financial literacy education, a necessary activity to facilitate sustainable development and well-being. However, this is seldom a mainstream discourse in social work deliberations. The paper aims to discuss these issues. Design/methodology/approach First, introducing the neoliberal impact on financial well-being and capability for vulnerable households, the authors’ postulation is substantiated on a seven-point argument. The contexts of financially vulnerable households are sketched. Second, a conceptualisation of financial literacy is offered, and third, perspectives on and approaches to financial literacy as a fundamental capability are presented. This is followed by a theoretical foundation of community education as a practice model in social work to develop financial capabilities. In the fifth place, prevailing practices of Financial Capabilities Development (FCD) programmes are offered. Subsequently, the implications of a neoliberal environment for social work practice are examined. Findings The revised global definition of social work encourages the profession to understand and address the structural causes of social problems through collective interventions. As a response, it is argued that community education towards FCD of vulnerable households within a neoliberal environment should be an essential discourse in social development. Originality/value The authors reflect on the significance of FCD, highlighting its contribution towards human security and sustainable development. Although this paper draws on Southern African contexts, the discourse finds resonance in other contexts across the world.


Cognition ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 214 ◽  
pp. 104806
Author(s):  
Tadeg Quillien ◽  
Tamsin C. German

1997 ◽  
Vol 81 (1) ◽  
pp. 67-75
Author(s):  
Sylvia A. Linares ◽  
Freddy A. Paniagua ◽  
Michael O'Boyle

Paniagua, et al. suggested that the definition of a “difficult” case in psychotherapy implies a relational definition involving the characteristics of the patient, the case, and the therapist. This study concerned this hypothesis with 44 graduate students in social work who received the Difficult Case Questionnaire representing examples of variables across each domain, e.g., motivation of the client, nature of the disorder, generic factors, and orientation of the therapist. The results were compared with the 1993 findings reported by Paniagua, et al., for a group of professionals in mental health practice. As in the earlier study, the present sample also agreed that, although all such domains are important in the formulation of that definition, their importance is not equal. Whereas professionals rated patient's, case's, and therapist's characteristics as the most important order of domains in that definition, students in this study agreed on the order of therapist's, patient's, and case's characteristics.


Groupwork ◽  
2014 ◽  
Vol 24 (2) ◽  
pp. 6
Author(s):  
Annie Pullen Sansfaçon ◽  
Valérie Roy ◽  
Dave Ward

<p>Looking at practices in different locations is beneficial since it helps challenge assumptions that we may take for granted. Groupwork, as a method of social work, is specifically interesting to explore in the light of different contexts since, like social work, it may or may not translate well across cultures. This paper draws from data collected in the context of a research project that aimed to describe the current state of social work with groups in Quebec and to explore trends within social work with groups elsewhere in the world. Specifically, it focuses on the exploration of practices in Quebec and discusses them in relationship to those found in the USA, as a counterpoint. Our findings highlight some differences and similarities between Quebec and the USA with regard to groupwork, which leads us to discuss a range of factors that may impact on groupwork in the different contexts. Of these, the differences of organisational context and organisation of services have emerged as particularly noteworthy, which echoes findings in general social work literature with regard to the importance of local contexts on the definition of practice itself.</p>


2001 ◽  
Vol 17 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jørn Møller

En fænomenologisk og antropologisk analyse af legen som et universelt, eksistentielt rum for mennesket.Presence – An attempt at an easy definition of playIn this article a simple definition of play has been attempted within the framework of phenomenological anthropology. When the process is seen as more serious than the result, we play. When, on the contrary, the result is the more important, we work. To express it in simple formulas in which P is process and R, result:P/R > 1 = Play P/R < 1 = WorkThe definition is discussed in relation to a number of approsing rations which normally provoke reflexive efforts: play vs. seriousness; play vs. labour; play vs. reality; play vs. war; play vs. sport; play vs. ritual; play as symbol and metaphor.Further, the phenomenological concept of play is contrasted to the pedagogical concept, in an analysis of the instrumental use of play vs. play as a meaningful practise in itself.Finally, reference is made to W.H. Auden’s view of the aesthetic process as a dual act involving sin and the search for redemption.


2017 ◽  
Vol 27 (4) ◽  
pp. 25-31
Author(s):  
Jacquelyn Elkington

Pakiwaitara (Elkington, 2001) came about as a gap identified in social service delivery between western, middle class, dominant culture and the healing of Māori whānau in crisis. While education has responded to this gap by offering bicultural training, ensuring more Māori components within degree programmes, etc, social services statistics are still high for Māori and indigenous peoples. It has helped to shift the definition of cultural supervision to inside the definition of specialised professional supervision (Elkington, 2014), but now continued invisibility of values and beliefs, particularly that of Tauiwi, exacerbate the problem. The challenge must still be asserted so that same-culture practitioners are strengthened in same-culture social work practice (eg, by Māori, for Māori), and to avoid when possible, or otherwise by choice, white dominant-culture practice, for all-and-every-culture social work practice (eg, by Pākehā, for everyone).


Author(s):  
Santo Di Nuovo

The evaluative research is an important goal of applied research in psychology, and can constitute a link between scientific research and the definition of an evidence-based profession, in many fields of psychology: e.g., educational, social, work, clinical psychology.But to make a good evaluative research some methodological considerations are needed. First of all, the complexity of this field of study overwhelms the traditional methods based on laboratory research, which defines and manages variables, sampling, and statistical analyses in a reductive way.


2011 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
pp. 191-208 ◽  
Author(s):  
Barbara Staniforth ◽  
Christa Fouché ◽  
Michael O'Brien

• Summary: Members of the Aotearoa New Zealand Association of Social Workers (ANZASW) were asked to provide their definition of social work. Over 300 responses were analysed thematically in order to determine if practitioner views corresponded to recent shifts in social work education and theory which emphasized the importance of social change, strengths based perspectives and the importance of local and indigenous contexts. • Findings: The findings demonstrate that while there was some recognition of social change and strengths-based perspectives in the definitions of social work provided, that those working in the field remain focused on ‘helping individuals, families and groups’ engage in change. Respondents did not, for the most part, acknowledge local or indigenous perspectives in their definitions. • Applications: Results from this study may be useful for social work professional organizations, and social work educators, students and future researchers who are interested in the definition of social work and its scopes of practice.


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