scholarly journals ‘I know what I like and I like what I know’: Epistemology in practice and theory and practice again

2016 ◽  
Vol 15 (5-6) ◽  
pp. 762-778 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mark Hardy
Keyword(s):  
Social Work ◽  
Theory And Practice ◽  
Current Understanding ◽  
Research And Practice ◽  
Social Work Research ◽  
The Relationship

This article is a reflective piece in which I account for how and why I have developed my current understanding of the relevance of epistemology to practice, to social work research and to the relationship between the two. Social work as a profession has itself faced something of an epistemological crisis of late, which has impacted on both practice and research in ways which have not necessarily been beneficial. I will draw my own practice and reseach to highlight the twists and turns in the development of my thinking about these issues and as a corollary, my views regarding the bridging role that pragmatic epistemology might play between research and practice.

scholarly journals Historiography of empathy: Contributions to social work research and practice

2021 ◽  
pp. 147332502110330
Author(s):  
Tracy Watson ◽  
David Hodgson ◽  
Lynelle Watts ◽  
Rebecca Waters
Keyword(s):  
Social Work ◽  
Historical Review ◽  
Work Practice ◽  
Social Work Practice ◽  
Theory And Practice ◽  
Work Activities ◽  
Research And Practice ◽  
Social Work Research

Empathy has long been considered critical to good social work practice, and is supported by extensive research and literature. However, empathy is a contested concept with divergent theoretical origins that complicates its place in social work research and practice. This article provides a historical review of empathy, highlighting the evolution of the concept of empathy, its contested history, and subsequent emergence into therapeutic contexts, particularly within social work. Findings show that empathy has multiple definitions and meanings, thus, creating a challenge to research efforts and social work activities. This review lays the groundwork for further constructive debate and research into the theory and practice of empathy for social work.

scholarly journals Giving up the ghost: Findings on fathers and social work from a study of pre-birth child protection

2021 ◽  
pp. 147332502110194
Author(s):  
Ariane Critchley
Keyword(s):  
Social Work ◽  
Social Workers ◽  
Child Protection ◽  
Active Role ◽  
Ethnographic Study ◽  
Research And Practice ◽  
Social Work Research ◽  
Research Interviews ◽  
Expectant Fathers ◽  
The Relationship

This article reports findings from an ethnographic study of pre-birth child protection, conducted in an urban Scottish setting. The study was designed to explore the interactions between practitioners and families in the context of child protection involvement during a pregnancy. This research aimed to understand the activities that constituted pre-birth child protection assessment, and the meaning attached to those activities by social workers and expectant parents. Very different perspectives on fathers and fatherhood emerged through the study. Fathers shared their feelings of familial tenderness in the context of research interviews. Yet social workers often focused on the risks that the fathers posed. This focus on risk led professionals to ignore or exclude fathers in significant ways. Fathers were denied opportunities to take an active role in their families and care planning for their infants, whilst mothers were over-responsibilised. Children meanwhile were potentially denied the relationship, care and identity benefits of involved fatherhood. This article shows how pre-birth child protection processes and practice can function so as to limit the contribution of expectant fathers. The way that fathers and fathering are understood continues to be a wider problem for social work, requiring development through research and practice. This study was not immune to the challenge of involving men in social work research in meaningful ways. Nevertheless, the findings highlight how participation in social work research can create a forum for fathers to share their concerns, and the importance of their perspective for practice.

scholarly journals Conflict between Religious Beliefs and Sexuality: An Autoethnography

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Carlos Gerena
Keyword(s):  
Social Work ◽  
Religious Beliefs ◽  
Well Being ◽  
The United States ◽  
Sex Behavior ◽  
Religious Institutions ◽  
Research And Practice ◽  
Social Work Research ◽  
Latino Community ◽  
Beliefs And Values

Despite the shift in attitudes in religious institutions toward homosexuals in the United States, there are some religions that continue to view same-sex behavior as a deviant and damning sin. For many, religious beliefs and values provide meaning and impact personal identity. Using autoethnography, I will explicate my own experiences with religious institutions and the ongoing conflict between religious beliefs and sexuality. I will discuss messages received from the Pentecostal church, family, and Latino community, and how these messages influenced my human development and emotional well-being. I show that internalization of the principles taught by the Pentecostal Church triggered a conflict when I became aware of my homosexuality. In this article, I discuss the mental health challenges I faced, and strategies I used to reconcile conflicting identities. I also discuss the use of autoethnography in social work and its implications in social work research and practice.

Beyond evidence-based policy and practice

2013 ◽  
Vol 16 (2) ◽  
pp. 20-36
Author(s):  
Mike Fisher
Keyword(s):  
North America ◽  
Practice Research ◽  
Evidence Based ◽  
Policy And Practice ◽  
Research And Practice ◽  
Social Work Research ◽  
Recent Developments ◽  
The Uk ◽  
The Impact ◽  
The Relationship

This paper concerns the impact of social work research, particularly on practice and practitioners. It explores the politics of research and how this affects practice, the way that university-based research understands practice, and some recent developments in establishing practice research as an integral and permanent part of the research landscape. While focusing on implications for the UK, it draws on developments in research across Europe, North America and Australasia to explore how we can improve the relationship between research and practice.

Narrative resistance in social work research and practice: Counter-storying in the pursuit of social justice

2017 ◽  
Vol 16 (2) ◽  
pp. 189-205 ◽  
Author(s):  
Suzanne McKenzie-Mohr ◽  
Michelle N Lafrance
Keyword(s):  
Social Justice ◽  
Social Work ◽  
Social Workers ◽  
Master Narratives ◽  
Research And Practice ◽  
Social Work Research ◽  
Counter Narratives ◽  
Practical Guidance

In this article, we propose ‘narrative resistance’ as a potent and useful concept for both social work research and practice. A concept that attends to power and oppression, narrative resistance provides a platform for tangible applications to support people’s efforts to resist harmful storyings of their lives. The aim of this article is to provide practical guidance for how social workers can attend to and support people’s acts of narrative resistance. This is achieved by introducing the functions of narrative in people’s lives and its inextricable links to power; discussing ‘master narratives’ and their potential for harm; and exploring narrative resistance by articulating the role of ‘counter narratives’ as a means to ‘talk back’ to injurious master narratives. The remainder of the article outlines considerations, skills and tools required to enhance counter-storying efforts in the service of emancipatory change. We spotlight examples of narrative resistance in the literature to illustrate the pragmatic mobilization of this work.

Rethinking Social Justice: A Contemporary Challenge for Social Good

2019 ◽  
Vol 30 (2) ◽  
pp. 186-195 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lia Levin
Keyword(s):  
Social Justice ◽  
Social Work ◽  
International Institutions ◽  
Special Relationship ◽  
Social Good ◽  
Research And Practice ◽  
Social Work Research ◽  
The Social

Social justice’s special relationship with the social work profession has recently been confirmed by new definitions of social good that identify the promotion of social justice as a primary goal of social work research and practice. This contemporary use of the ideas and ideals of social justice creates an opportunity to reexamine it in the context of modern societies and postmodern knowledge. This article presents four steps for reassessing existing definitions of social justice, as reflected by three cases documented by international institutions that define themselves as promoters of social justice. Through this reassessment, this article seeks to contribute to the regeneration and advancement of interdisciplinary debate over the contents and nature of social justice, under the presumption that any effort toward social good aimed at enhancing social justice should first identify or discuss to what sort of social justice it aspires.

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