Is cultural sensitivity always a good thing? Arguments for a universalist social work

The requirement for social workers to be sensitive to cultural difference has now become accepted as an essential component of best practice – indeed, social workers failing to display sensitivity to cultural differences would most likely be seen to be in contravention of most professional ethics frameworks. However, closer scrutiny as to exactly how and to what degree one should display cultural sensitivity in practice reveals a complex set of ethical and philosophical dilemmas for social workers. This chapter is concerned with a discussion of these. The chapter concludes with a call for the reconstruction of a universalist ethics in social work, and offers Nussbaum and Sen’s ‘Capability Framework’ as offering a way in which this could be done in Social Work practice

The intensification of neoliberalism and the commodification of human need – a social work perspective

The drive toward the commodification of human society was first explained by Marx and Engels in the Communist Manifesto as a manifestation of the territorial expansion of capitalist relations across the globe. While this dimension of capitalist expansion continues apace, this paper discuses the further dimension of the way capitalist social relations are intensified in the contemporary period of neoliberal capitalism. This involves reconstruction of subjectivity in the context of the rolling back of the gains from the post-war Keynesian period. We take a critical look at the deployment of terms such as 'empowerment' and 'resilience' in policy discourses and the way these are being used to reconstruct the relationship between the state and citizenry in this period, and the impact this is having on UK Social Work

Leverage, Risk & Choice Of Capital Structure: An Empirical Case From India

The present empirical paper studies the leverage, risk and choice of capital structure in India through a case of MRF Ltd. from tyres & tubes industry of the Indian corporate sector which covers a time period of ten years (effective nine years) extending from the year 1982-83 to 1991-92 where the company is lying in the top of tyres & tubes industry of the Indian corporate sector on the basis of sales for the year 1991-92 for the purpose of our study. The study reveals that that debt-equity ratio2 and leverage ratio2 have been varying from 53.01 percent in the 1982-83 to 68.25 percent in the year 1985-86, each, with rising trend during the period under study, whereas, aggregate debt-equity ratio2 and leverage ratio2 of the company are worked out 63.71 percent, each, during the period under study. It is found that cost of debt on before and after tax basis (Kdbt & Kdat) has been declining over the period under study, whereas, aggregate cost of debt on before and after tax basis (Kdbt & Kdat) of the company is worked out 17.91 percent and 10.21 percent, respectively, during the period under study. It is observed that rate of return on net assets on before and after tax basis (ROIbt2 & ROIat2) and rate of return on total networth on before and after tax basis (RONbt & RONat) have been rising during the period under study. On aggregate basis, aggregate rate of return on net assets on before and after tax basis (ROIbt2 & ROIat2) is worked out 25.18 percent 14.35 percent, whereas, aggregate rate of return on total networth on before and after tax basis (RONbt & RONat) is worked out 38.42 percent and 21.90 percent, respectively, during the study period. Thus, it is concluded that the company is enjoying favourable leverage with regard to use of debt during seven out of nine years under study. Consequently, rate of return on total networth (RONbt & RONat) is higher than cost of debt (Kdbt & Kdat) and rate of return on net assets (ROIbt2 & ROIat2) on before and after tax basis in the above said seven years under study. It means that use of debt in the capital structure of the company has positive impact on the profitability of the company during seven out of nine years under study which consequently is contributing to the total networth of the company which ultimately is benefitting to the equity shareholders of the company. Leverage created through debt by the company is not generating risk for the company in the above said seven years under study because MRF Ltd. is able to cover the cost of debt (Kdbt & Kdat) on before and after tax basis from the rate of return on net assets (ROIbt2 & ROIat2) on before and after tax basis in the above said seven years under study. However, on aggregate basis, the company has also been experiencing favourable leverage with regard to use of debt on before and after tax basis during the period under study which further means that debt is behaving favourably during the period under study. It is also found that spread and net gain are positive when leverage impact is positive and vice-versa during the period under study.  It is also found that effective tax rate born by the company is high, i.e. 43 percent, during the period under study

Fish diversity of Laster stream, a major tributary of river Mandakini in Central Himalaya (India) with regard to altitude and habitat specificity of fishes

Laster stream is a major tributary of river Mandakini, which in turn is a major tributary of river Alaknanda. Stream traverses a distance of ~40 km before joining with river Mandakini at Suryaprayag (Tilwara) in Rudraprayag district (Uttarakhand), India. Present study reports existence of twenty one indigenous fish species belonging to eight genera, three families and two orders from the Laster stream. Schizothorax richardsonii (Cyprinidae family) was the dominating species followed by S. plagiostomus, Barilius sp., Tor sp., Noemacheilus sp., Pseudecheneis sp., Glyptothorax sp. The distribution pattern (diversity and abundance) of these species had negative co-relation with the increase in stream altitude. Habitat conditions in the stream varied considerably from headwater to main stream. Present study also describes the habitat specificity of fish assemblage. Maximum species diversity (18 species) was recorded from pool habitat and was the most preferred habitat. Least species diversity (09 species) was recorded from cascade habitat. Riffle and rapid habitat recorded no difference in species diversity

Anti-racist social work, context and development : refracted through the experiences of black practice teachers

This thesis represents an attempt to develop a critical analysis of the context and development of anti-racist social work in Britain, specifically refracted through the experiences and accounts of black practice teachers. It is based on an analysis of primary and secondary data relating to ‘race’, racism, anti-racism and social work. The thesis is divided into two sections. The first section, constituting the literature review, develops a detailed critique of the development of the discourses and ideology of ‘race’ and racism, and the origins and development of anti-racist social work in the UK over the past 30 years. Section Two outlines the empirical data, constituting a short postal survey and focus group discussions to build research themes, and 21 in-depth semi-structured interviews. The overall paradigm is framed within a notion of ‘critical emancipatory anti-racist research’. The research highlights sustained levels of institutional racism in social work faced by black workers and service users. It also indicates high levels of awareness of the nature and extent of racism amongst black practice teachers. The thesis is concluded by a summary of the key findings and implications for the future development of anti-racist social work. It is argued that, due to a range of socio political and organisational factors surrounding the restructuring and reorientation of social work and the emergence of new racisms, the space for anti-racist activity is becoming increasingly restricted. The thesis concludes by outlining some principles for a renewed anti-racist social work project, bearing in mind the prevailing conditions.EThOS - Electronic Theses Online ServiceGBUnited Kingdo