Types of Knowledge, Forms of Practice

This study was designed to explore the way that us e of theory influenced a social worker’s conceptualization of a simulated case. The participant in this case study was a woman employed in child welfare, who holds an MSW. She was chosen because her response in a larger study represented a deviant case. Data analysis included both thematic analysis and an analysis of a written report based on ideas taken from institutional ethnography. The authors use this case example to illustrate the ways that one’s understanding of theory may impact social work practice

Savęs paties sąvokos teorinė interpretacija ir jos naudojimas socialinio darbo praktikoje

Since the inception of social work numerous practice theories have been advocated. These range from the "Friendly Visitors" of the Charity Organization Society to the co-constructors of reality of post modern practice. Each of these perspectives emphasized the importance of "relationship" in practicing social work. This term in more recent times has been called "use of self." Rarely in the literature is either "self" or "use of self" defined? This article illustrates the links between practice theory and assumptions about self. The authors provide a relational perspective of self and then define both self and use of self for social work practice. Finally, an example of use of self is provided.Socialinio darbo, kaip profesinės veiklos, pradžioje jos intervencijos objektu laikyti klientų tarpusavio santykiai. Laikui bėgant socialinio darbo objektas buvo pervadintas savęs paties naudojimo praktika. Vis dėlto socialinio darbo teorijoje sąvoka „pats" menkai apibrėžta. Iš dalies tai galima paaiškinti socialinio darbo teorijų kaita, kurių kiekviena pateikdavo vis kitokią „savęs paties" sąvoką. Pavyzdžiui, Malonių labdaros lankytojų organizacijos darbuotojai kliento savimonę tapatino su jo/s asmenimi. Psichoanalitinei teorijai tapus socialiniu darbu, individo „pats" pradėtas sieti su jo/s psichika, t. y, id. ego, super ego. Vėlesnė naujovė „paties" suvokimą sieja su socialiniu veiksmu pagrįsta George'o Herberto Meado (1934) teorija. Visos trys socialinio darbo teorijoje vartojamos „savęs paties" koncepcijos - konstruktyvistinė, socialinio veiksmo, ir psichoanalitinė - individo „pats" vertina kaip socialinės sąveikos procesą su „kitu". Taigi „pats" ir „kitas" yra neatskiriami. Šiame straipsnyje „paties" sąvoka tapatinama su socialiniu sąveikos procesu, kuriančiu socialinį pasaulį. Empiriniai pavyzdžiai pateikiami iliustruoti šį „paties" suvokimą

Social Work and the Colonization of the Life-World

This paper examines the effect of technical-rational social work practice upon the lived experience of recipients. The authors explore the influence of technical-rational practice upon the creation of reality from a social constructionist perspective. Kondrat’s (1992) argument for the construction of professional knowledge independent of a technical-rational approach and Rosen’s (1994) response provide a path into the material. The differences between the two views are explored by means of a discussion of theories of language and reality as well as the contrasting worldviews found in comparing existential versus behavioral approaches and strengths perspective versus cognitive-behavioral approaches to social work. The emphasis upon a technical-rational practice is identified as an element in the deformation of the symbolic structure of the life-world